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Questions to Ask About Internet Security Software
By Mark J Kline, Psy.D.
Internet screening software is not the whole
answer to managing internet use in your family. It
is no substitute for parental attention and oversight,
communication, clear rules, limits and expectations,
and knowing your child well. However, internet
filtering or monitoring software can be a useful
component of your family’s internet use
plan, and by some reports, over a third of all
families use it.
- Do you understand how to install
and use the software?
- Does the company provide easily
available and accessible support?
- Does the software allow you to examine “screen
shots” of web sites visited and chat
dialogue? This
is often saved randomly.
- Does the software allow you to filter
web site addresses and does it provide any
easy interface for updating this function? Do
you understand the limitations of web site
filtering?
- Does the software or your ISP alow
you to restrict email and IM queries to a
list of addresses/screen names that you choose
and manage?
- Does the software allow you to block
or restrict file exchange and any other sofware
downloading?
- Does the software have good security/password
protection so it cannot be hacked by a creative
12 year old?
- Does the software allow you to do “keystroke
analysis,” which keeps a record of
all keyed input to the computer?
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