BASIC TOOLS FOR PARENTAL CONTROL

 

BASIC TOOLS FOR

PARENTAL CONTROL

PARENTAL CONTROL TOOLS THAT WE CAN USE

Fortunately today there are many solutions to restrict access to inappropriate sites for our minors. Depending on the operating system we have, there are at least the following options:

1- In Windows there are certain antiviruses that have built-in parental controls. There are several Antiviruses such as ESET NOD 32 , Kaspersky and MacAfee that include these functions among their features. Apart from the aforementioned, surely there are other antivirus with the same characteristics as the ones we have mentioned.

2- There are certain models of Routers that can perform the parental controls function. With certain Router models we will be able to limit the hours of Internet use for our children, filter the content they can see, etc. Therefore, if you have to purchase a router and have small children, it is a feature we should take into account. Router brands such as Linksys and Belkin usually have built-in parental controls.

3- To a greater or lesser extent the main operating systems such as Windows, Max OS X, iOS and Android have a parental control that comes with the operating system itself . To make it work, we just have to activate and configure it properly. The functionalities that are usually quite complete.

4- There are parental controls systems by filtering by DNS servers. This control system is as simple as changing the DNS that we are currently using for alternative DNS servers that will be in charge of filtering all the content that may be offensive to minors. Some DNS servers that perform this function are the OpenDNS family Shield, those of Norton Connectsafe, etc. This solution is interesting since it can be applied to all devices and operating systems. It also has the great advantage that it is a complementary system to all the others.

5- Third party applications or software to perform parental controls tasks. In Windows, as well as in Android, as in other operating systems, there are numerous third-party applications and software designed to perform the parental control function. Some of these applications are the following:

·         Qustodio : It is a cloud-based parental control system that can be used on Android, Windows, Mac OS X and iOS . This software allows you to create different profiles depending on the age and interests of the minor. This parental control option will allow us to prohibit access to certain applications, limit the time of use of certain applications, filter the content that can be accessed based on white lists and black lists, etc.

·         Norton Online Family : Free and cloud-based solution , easy to configure and applicable to Android, Windows, Mac OS X and iOS operating systems . The free option allows you to limit the time of use of the computer or telephone, restrict offensive content, monitor the minor's traffic, see how the minor is presented on the social networks where they are active, prevent personal data from being sent to third parties, alert via email when minors try to access blocked sites, etc. If we are willing to pay for the described functionality it can be expanded.

·         Gnome nanny : Parental Controls system for GNU Linux . With gnome nanny for each user we can determine the time slot in which they will be able to use the computer, filter the web pages that they will be able to visit, restrict the time we can use instant messaging, restrict the use of mail clients, etc. The truth is that Gnome nanny is a bit fair and it must be said that in GNU-Linux there are no great quality alternatives when it comes to parental control systems .

·         Net Nanny: It is a paid alternative , but certainly the benefits it offers are outstanding in all aspects. It can be used on Android, Windows, Mac OS X and iOS operating systems. Among many other things, Net Nanny offers continuous monitoring of social networks and instant messaging, watches the execution of inappropriate games, filters the content that minors can access the internet, sends detailed reports of the minor's activity, etc.

·      Windows Live Family : Free parental control software for Windows that installs with Microsoft's suite of Live applications. With this option we can easily control the content that minors can see, with whom they can communicate, receive reports on the use of the computer by the minor, etc.

Note: It is possible and advisable to use several tools that we have mentioned simultaneously. For example, we could OpenDNS DNS system and Windows parental control. It is advisable to do this since none of the options that we have proposed is 100% effective. In addition, some of the tools mentioned can be disabled if the minor in question has advanced computer skills.

OTHER PRACTICES TO PROMOTE TO PROTECT MINORS

Parental Controls is a useful tool for the safety of minors. However, the most effective tool will always be to talk with minors and give them training and information about the following aspects :

1.    Minors must be made aware that on the Internet it is possible to find offensive content and that it can hurt the sensitivity of minors.

2.    Giving our personal data to third parties can be dangerous. Therefore, it is advisable never to give personal data, or to use your real name in chats, forums, not to give photographs, to be very careful when using the webcam to chat, not to provide telephone numbers, not to give addresses, etc.

3.    You have to be careful with cyber friends on social networks or chat rooms as these people are not always what they seem. We must avoid at all costs giving personal data to our cyber friends and of course in the case of meeting a cyber friend, the minor must notify their parents. The parents will then have to decide if they will let him go, by whom they will be accompanied and define the place where they will stay.

4.    It is advised not to open emails or run files from unknown people , etc. It is possible that the minor is the victim of phishing attacks or of any other type so that the attacker can obtain information.

5.    We have to train minors to communicate to us any situation that makes them feel uncomfortable online .

6.    Minors must be informed that on social networks such as Facebook, Tuenti or others, unknown contacts should not be accepted.

7.    The information that appears on the internet may be true or it may be false. Much of the information that appears on the Internet are mere opinions of the people that may or may not be true.

8.    The child must be made to understand that what is wrong in real life will also be wrong on the internet. Therefore, what you would not do in real life, do not do it on the internet. Everything that is done or said on the Internet can be read or consulted by many people.

9.    Must inform children that there are practices such as   grooming, the cyber bullying, the sexting, etc. If they know what these practices are based on, there will always be a better chance of identifying possible attacks.

10.  It is always advisable to keep records of the chats of our minors . In case of doubt, or of strange behavior on the part of the minor, we may have an additional source of information about the problem.

11.  It is advisable to accompany minors in navigation. In this way, when suspicious behavior is detected by a third party, or when the minor performs an inappropriate action, we can always notify him and give him the relevant training.

12.  It is important to educate minors on how to use strong passwords and never give them to anyone. If someone has our password of parental controls, they could impersonate us and cause us great harm.