Latest in parental control

Seeing kids using cutting-edge technology is certainly a relatively recent development. But I guess it isn't a surprising one. After all, the technology exists, parents own it and (over)use it, and so kids are likely to want to follow suit prematurely. Should this be something we embrace? Or should kids be encouraged to leave technology alone until they're old enough to fully embrace it?
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There's no question that growing up in today's world is nothing like growing up over the past few decades. Obviously, computers and technology make a childhood of today nothing at all like a childhood of the last few decades. Instead of radio shows, kids have streaming movies on Netflix. Instead of drive-in theaters, kids have 3D cinema with digital surround-sound. Instead of ham radios, kids have mobile apps.
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You may say to yourself that you've installed the finest web filter available, and I'm sure that it's a solid piece of work. However, no filter is impenetrable, and the truth is that the only 100% complete protection against the Internet is no Internet. Alas, we can't just get rid of the web, can we? Instead, maybe we can at least explore how filters are bypassed.
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A small blank square and a blinking cursor. A window through which the entire world exists. You only have to say the right word – any word – and your every desire will be delivered. But traveling to the wrong place can bring very real tragedy and horror to a family, and traveling there is as simple as typing in the wrong word into that little square box. Then there’s the question of those monsters and demons. What are they, where are they, and how dangerous are they? We took a long, hard look.
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Ever since all members of my family started using a smartphone, I realized that it's probably high time to finally install some sort of tracking software into all of the smartphones for the safety of everyone. The ability to remotely enable and track a cellphone can provide parents with the peace of mind knowing that no matter where their kids are, so long as they have their smartphone on them, that parent will be able to triangulate the location of that child.
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Having parental control over the Internet is an extremely difficult undertaking. You can try tampering with your operating system’s host file, or you can fiddle with browser extensions. Just a few months ago, I wrote about a DNS-based web filtering service by OpenDNS. But if none of those solutions seem right for you, you might want to try Qustodio.
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Any kid who knows how to use a computer can easily get and use an email account. If those email accounts are unsupervised, it can be rather disquieting for the parents, who have no idea who their kids are corresponding with. Yes, you can prevent your kids from having email altogether, or let them have a Gmail account while keeping an eye on what’s going on, but there’s also a different solution – specialized email apps for kids.
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If you're a recent parent, you've probably considered getting some sort of baby monitor. You possibly considered the utility of a video monitor and then you may or may not have balked at the exorbitant price tags they come with. There are dozens of great ways to set up a baby monitor using webcams, old computers and a bit of geek know-how.
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Users of free parental control software from OpenDNS, as well as paid clients, will be pleased to know that OpenDNS have just had the service greatly improved. Their custom domain filtering is now more in-sync with consumer needs and can be updated within a simple control panel.
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Ditch the long lectures on doing household chores if you are a parent. Instead motivate them through games and positive actions. This is the mantra of Highscore House. Highscore House (beta) is an online gaming/mobile interface at its core, but it is also a tool in the hands of busy parents.
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Where do you go to ensure that your child has a kid-friendly experience on an iPad? These three services (among a few more) help out by sifting through the clutter and giving you personalized recommendations on the best apps to choose for your children for both iOS and Android smart devices.
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Over the last few weeks, news hit the Internet that Facebook is looking at ways to allow kids under 13 to use Facebook under parental supervision. For quite some time now, Facebook has required all registered users to be over 13 years old. Because of this limitation, there are now many children on Facebook that have lied about their age during the signup process - with their parents blessing.
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While the Internet may be just about the greatest invention of all time (yes, that is open to debate), it also has a darker side. While adults can dip their toe into the murkier waters as they see fit, or choose to ignore the existence of that grimy underbelly altogether, things are a little tougher for children. There are various things parents need to be aware of if they're going to allow their children access to the Web.
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As my girls grow into young teens, as a father I do tend to worry quite a bit. I worry about them when they go out to a friend's house, I worry about them when they travel, and yes, I worry about them on the Internet. It isn't so much a matter of whether they are going to do anything wrong intentionally, it's a matter of what other people out there could potentially try to do.
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I think it’s safe to say that for as long as the Internet has been around, there have always been inappropriate websites - and I’m not just talking about adult entertainment! Think of all the nasty websites out there that are just waiting to make your life miserable - phishing sites, malware and spyware, prank sites, screamer Flash videos, etc. OpenDNS first launched back in 2005 as a free way to filter web content.
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