How to Monitor Your Child's Online Activity

Supervise and monitor your child's Internet time.

Children and teenagers remain vulnerable prey for stalkers, pedophiles and con artists on the Internet. It can be a challenge for parents to keep their child safe online, and the first step always involves opening the doors of communication. Talk to your children about the potential dangers on the Web, how to recognize danger signs and how to always trust their gut feelings. It also helps if you limit and supervise kids' online time. In extreme situations, however, it can be helpful to monitor Internet activity -- and even block sites where danger or questionable content are known to lurk.

Instructions

1. Install or activate parental controls provided by your Internet service provider (ISP), if available. Many retail ISPs do provide monitoring or blocking software as part of your subscription package.

2. Use Windows 7 and Windows Vista Parental Control, Windows Live Family Safety and Xbox parental controls, to limit searches, block sites or monitor activity, if you use computers or consoles with Microsoft products.

3. View the Internet history on your Web browser after you child has used the Internet. The Web browser history is usually available in all browser's toolbars.

4. Subscribe to and install a pay-based monitoring service such as TextGuard, My Mobile Watchdog or iWonder Surf. Programs such as these allow site blocking, log key strokes and record all web (and cell phone) history, and can often be viewed in real-time. Most services also email or text you warnings or reports of activity.

References

• Dr. Phil: Monitor Your Child's Cell Phone and Internet Activity
• Federal Bureau of Investigation: A Parent's Guide to Internet Safety
• Microsoft Safety and Security Center: Help Protect Kids Online -- 4 Things You Can Do