Issue 42.09
Last time we talked about the dangers on the internet. Now I will share with you some of the things you can do to protect yourself and your family.
The first thing, of course, is to make sure you have a reliable anti-virus, anti-spyware program(s) installed on your system. The highest rated programs available for purchase are NOD32 and Kaspersky. The highest rated free program is AVG, which you can install by going to free.avg.com and following the prompts. They will try to sell you their program and it is a good one, but you can get it free if you follow the prompts. Viruses and spyware allow access to your computer by those who want to steal your identity, destroy your files or push negative files (such as pornography) into your system. Do not make the mistake of installing multiple anti-virus or anti-spyware programs since they cancel each other out and slow your machine down if you do.
Secondly, you should make sure your computers are in a public area in your home and that everyone understands that, if they want to use the computer, they must allow you to see what they are doing. It is your responsibility to know what young people are doing and to not allow inappropriate uses. Children (especially teens) should not have internet access in their rooms or private spaces.
An internet filter is a huge help in avoiding pornography and protecting your family. One of the available free programs is K-9 from http://www1.k9webprotection.com/. It is easy to use and did I mention it’s free? Experts tell us that, if someone wants to find pornography or other inappropriate content, they can find it. But programs like this will help protect them from easy access or from stumbling across it inadvertently or having it pushed at them by others.
Another approach is monitoring. Monitoring programs inform you through email or by storing a file on your computer about the following; What the people using that computer have typed, What sites they have visited, or What their screen looks like every few seconds or minutes (through pictures called screen-shots). This can give you a very complete picture of what they are actually doing and it gives you evidence you can confront them with if their activities are not appropriate.
Some other sites to check include http://www.internetsafety.com/safe-eyes-parental-control-software.php, http://www.kidswatch.com/, http://www.netnanny.com/, and http://www.cybersitter.com/.
There are many other approaches to internet safety and you should learn as much as you can, particularly if young people use your computer. One of the best resources is at http://www.ikeepsafe.org/PRC/. They indicate that we need to teach our children about inappropriate contact, inappropriate content and inappropriate conduct and how to avoid all three. It is up to us to help make the internet safe for those we love.
Remember, stay safe and happy computing – and always have a backup of anything important.
Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 27 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.