How to Protect a Family From the Internet

The Internet has become an indispensable part of our world. These days you can do everything online from check baseball scores to ordering a pizza. What's more, people can access the Internet from almost anywhere, even their cell phone. Unfortunately, a lot of online material is not family friendly or appropriate for young children. Here are some tips to help protect your family from the Internet.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Install content filters. There are devices available at most retail electronics stores that allow you to block certain websites and filter out questionable or objectionable material. These blockers are relatively inexpensive and easy to install on your home computer. Some allow you to choose specific web addresses to be blocked while others let you list categories and keywords that are not to be permitted.
2. Supervise home usage. Establish time frames for when the computer can be used and make sure there is an adult at home when young children are online. Set daily time limits also so that the Internet does not become an all-consuming part of your family's daily routine. Pay attention to what online interests that your children have and make sure they are not visiting websites that could contain questionable material. If you do not trust teens or kids to use the Internet responsibly, disconnect the modem cable and take it with you when you're not home.
3. Check your computer's history often. Your computer logs a history of which websites are accessed, and you can use this history to detect any inappropriate usage that is taking place. Write down any websites that you are unfamiliar with so you can check their content and block them if necessary.
4. Follow the trends. Certain websites and online trends become popular very quickly and attract a lot of attention. The "blog" craze led to the creation of many websites that let people post online journals and pictures and are free and available to anyone. Unfortunately, this freedom also means that anyone can post material on his or her blog that is potentially violent or sexual in nature. Paying attention to trends like this can help you limit your family's exposure to negative content.
5. Know what precautions are being taken outside your home. If you have school-aged children, they probably have access to the computer at their school and at your local public library. Contact your school district and your local library to find out what sort of supervision is done for student Internet usage. Ask if the public computers have content filters, if a teacher or librarian supervises usage and whether young children are required to be accompanied by an adult before logging on.
6. Practice what you preach. Of course, there is a big difference between online materials acceptable for adults and what is appropriate for children, but you can still set a good example for the rest of your family when using the Internet. Use it responsibly and the younger members of your household will be more likely to do the same.