Internet Software

In our house we have used Safe Eyes and are currently using Covenant Eyes. With both programs each user has their own log in, with safe eyes you are able to to block specific website or websites containing certain information of your choice. For instance you can block websites containing violence, nudity, suicide, drugs ect...if the user is somehow able to get to a blocked website the ''administrator'' is notified by email, or text. With Covenant eyes it keeps a log of usage and sends out a report every week of Most Visited pages and most used time frame. I'm sure they have something similar to safe eyes where you can put blocks on wesites but we have not done that using this program. I do not know if you can put timelimits on usage with these programs.
Safe Eyes costs @ $50 a year and Covenant Eyes @ $80 a year.

We use a program called Watchdog. I love how easy it is to limit time each child can spend on the computer (As well as being able to specify if there are certain times they can not log on, like in the middle of the night). It gives them a few minute warning before booting them off. It has other features, including limiting what websites you can visit, etc.

I don't recall how much we paid for it, but I'm pretty sure it was less than $50 for the program. I'd recommend it to those who are interested in limiting computer time. While you can limit the websites or programs they have access to, it doesn't totally meet our needs for ensuring clean internet access. I'd like my kids to be able to search the internet without worry of them running into "stuff." We may check out some of the other internet filters and clean internet services to use with WatchDog.

Watchdog has really helped us the last 5 years! I am out of the nagging business. I don't know what to tell you in terms of how much computer time to allow your sister. My oldest is almost 13. She gets 1 hour 30 minutes a day, daytime hours. That's a lot, huh! However, we allow unlimited use of Word, as she enjoys writing stories and sometimes is in a mode where she can write longer. Doesn't happen often. But it's nice to be able to let her use one program while limiting internet and others. Our younger kids have less time.

5 years ago, she was limited to 30 minutes a day. But her homework and social/emailing needs/desires have increased since then, so we adjusted. Depends on the kid and what they use the computer for. If they only use it for computer games, you may want to limit the time to 30-45 minutes. You can always adjust.

Good luck! Let us know if you find something you really like.
Susan

I haven't tried it yet - my kids are too young! But Dave Ramsey recommends Be Safe Online at his website. Dave, if you aren't familiar, is the author of The Total Money Makeover and is a big advocate of getting and staying out of debt. He has a great website, which also features companies that he recommends as good values and that have good service. His website is http://www.daveramsey.com. Look on the right side of the page, and he has a link to Be Safe Online. Good luck!

Thanks I need this info too

I have found that Clean Internet works great. You can find it at http://www.cleaninternet.com/ . If you would like to read more about it I have an article about it in the Computers and Internet section of my magazine. You can find the article at http://yourfunfamily.com/Magazine/internetfilters.html

my cable/internet provider - Charter - provided a nice download. it did take up a LOT of memory (but I have an older computer). It required a password for early mornings and later at night, wouldn't allow various sites even during times not logged in with the password. that is the only one i used. It was Charter High Speed Security Suite I think. it was free as well..
good luck

I have been using one for about 4 years that I really like. It's from the American Family Association, you can block specific websites as they become a problem or block general categories. You can get reports mailed to you regularly of what websites have been visited and what time of day. You can also block internet usage during certain times of the day - to avoid the late night surfing. It costs about $50 a year or there is a software package with more features for $70 a year. The website is www.bsafehome.com. I only use the filter becasue I have Norton Antivirus, but you can disable whichever components you don't want.

I don't know o any software but I would LOVE to hear of some as well!! But we do have 5 children who ALL want to use the one computer we have! I limit them to 45 minutes a day TOTAL each. They can use it all at once or split the time up. But if one of them has a homework project to do, that's different. But I monitor what they are doing so they are only on for HOMEWORK & not Facebook or Myspace or anything BUT homework. GOOD LUCK!

One Free service for internet blocking is Bluecoat K9 Web Protection. It is however not always able to block every site but can be made to be very filtering if needed. It requires a password and what url to go to and either limited time or nonblocking status. But would also use another blocking software on the computer too with it!

http://www1.k9webprotection.com/

"BLUE COAT K9 WEB PROTECTION EARNS THE NATIONAL PARENTING CENTER'S SEAL OF APPROVAL"

"Free Internet filtering software/community outreach resource wins over parents, children and educator"

"SUNNYVALE, Calif., November 28, 2006 – Blue Coat® Systems (Nasdaq: BCSI), the leader in secure content and application delivery, today announced that the National Parenting Center has awarded its 2006 Seal of Approval to Blue Coat Systems' K9 Web Protection"
Quotes from their site,

http://www1.k9webprotection.com/

Sincerely,
SC
Founder
BabY-CooP CluB

you can buy all the software you want, but any educated, computer literate teen can easily find and disable the software. i know there may be passwords and etc, but its probably easier than you think.

what i would suggest is to have the computer in a public area, not in the other room (unless you can work in the other room at the same time) and just simple supervision can deter any teen from doing something they know they shouldnt be doing. for instance, if sister is on myspace, or facebook or something like that, the software will most likely block those sites, although with supervision, i believe them to be ok sites to use. i do believe that even internet browsers, and your antivirus do already have settins to block certain content - so check those out first.

i wouldnt allow her more than 1 or 2 hours a day on the computer, especially in the summer when there is so much you can do outside. when you are spending time together, do things that are outdoors or away from home. when you do allow computer use, see if you can avoid the internet and possibly play a game together or something.

i dont konw how your internet is connected, i know like with dial up you have to have the password to connect, however, with dsl like i have all you have to do is plug it in. if you were to have to be away from home and dont want her on the computer, simply remove a power cord from something - such as the dsl itself, so that there wont be anything that she can do to connect.

i dont want to give you the impression that teens arent to be trusted. shes your sister after all... you should be able to trust her. however, the most innocent sites can bring up the most aweful material. its not necessarily the teen getting into trouble, its the internet itself that can cause a lot of problems.

so basically, constant supervision is the safest bet, that way if something odd does pop up, you will be able to tell if she was looking for it, or if it just happened by accident... you know?

good luck and have fun!