Family Protection for Social Networks

Well publicized stories of cyber-bullying, stalking, or other types of dangerous social networking related incidents contribute to present day parental angst. As if it weren’t hard enough to keep them safe social sites, like Facebook, provide access to kids and their public information 7x24. It is unfortunate that software companies seem to be in perpetual catch-up mode but, progress has been made with regard to social networking safety.
McAfee, TrendMicro, Norton, and others have new releases this year which contain features to allow parents additional means of safeguarding their children.
Parents can set up rules to detect when specific information is being typed or emailed. This may be personal information including telephone numbers, addresses, social security, or credit card information. If a child emails this information it will be blocked and parents will be notified. If this information is posted on a site the parents will be notified. Settings also exist to log explicit language posts, avoid explicit YouTube videos, and block certain programs. Some important programs to block are peer-to-peer file sharing that can invite lawsuits from the RIAA, MPAA, and others.
This protection can cost between $40 and $70 per year depending on which package is purchased. It is important to note that this protection is only available on the PC’s that it is installed on. For example, if your children access the internet from the Public Library they may not be subject to the same oversight and restrictions.