What is the best way to monitor my children's activity on the internet or TV shows? They are 13, 11 and 9.

Answer 1

Restricting access to your computer:

Most computers allow creating a BIOS password. Without a password your DVD/CD or floppy drives can not be used to boot the computer or reinstall Windows, bypassing all your Windows passwords. It also prevents the hard drives from being used, preventing entering Windows “safe mode” which can be used to modify your passwords.
The bios password can often be defeated.
http://www.protectiveparenting.com/web/html/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=10
http://pcworld.about.com/magazine/2204p103id114727.htm

How to clear an BIOS password:
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000235.htm

Lockdown PC
http://pcworld.about.com/magazine/2204p103id114727.htm

Windows XP passwords:
All accounts must have passwords. Each person must have a separate username and password to sign on the computer. You must have an “Administrative” account. Everyone else should have “Restricted Access” accounts.
Do not enable automatic logon.
http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-350.html
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/accounts.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/switchusers.mspx

Turn off the guest account
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/tips/soleuser.mspx

Protect your computer from access when you are temporarily away from your computer by using a screen saver password
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/display_assign_screensaver_password.mspx?mfr=true

Each person (if you allow) should have a separate email account.

A determined person can break or disable or get around all passwords.
--How to make files and folders private in Windows XP so that only you have access to them
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930987
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Vista Parental Controls
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/585539d0-0862-41e4-9b39-53467648efc51033.mspx
http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/it/2007/02/20/vistas-parental-controls-part-i/

Restricting Internet Access

Your internet service provider probably provides a method to control access to the internet. I have ATT they have parental controls to limit access. Each user can have a separate account. A master password is required to change settings. Settings allow selecting for each user: Allowed times during the day; maximum hours of use; set ratings for types of content allowed to be viewed.
http://help.yahoo.com/sbc/tutorials/olp/tut_olp_index.html
http://help.yahoo.com/sbc/tutorials/ypc/pc_timer1.html

Yahoo Parental Controls
http://help.yahoo.com/sbc/tutorials/ypc/start_pc1.html

I am not recommending this software, but it pages clearly show setting up internet profiles and customizing the restrictions.
http://www.pchomesoft.com/keywords.html
http://www.pchomesoft.com/limit_kids_control_guide.html
http://www.pchomesoft.com/images/kta2.gif
http://www.pchomesoft.com/images/kta1.gif

Software downloads. Some free, some offer a limited trial.
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=parental&tag=srch

Reviews of programs that restrict net access:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1986753,00.asp
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/internet-filtering-software-605/ratings/index.htm?resultPageIndex=1&resultIndex=3&searchTerm=parental%20controls
http://www.filterreview.com/pages/table1.htm
http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2001feb/gee20010215004355.htm
http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/
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Monitoring Software
http://www.monitoringsoftwarereviews.org/
http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,1874,1639158,00.asp
http://familyinternet.about.com/library/weekly/aa041901a.htm
http://monitoring-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
http://ask-leo.com/parental_monitoring_software_my_child_figured_out_how_to_turn_it_off_what_can_i_do.html
http://ezinearticles.com/?Monitoring-Software---What-You-Need-To-Know&id=454291
http://www.freesearching.com/monitor.htm
http://dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/Child_Safety/
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=parental&tag=srch

How To Record All Microsoft Messenger conversations (free)
http://www.protectiveparenting.com/web/html/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=12
http://www.msgpluslive.net/

How can I keep my kids safe from internet garbage
http://ask-leo.com/how_can_i_keep_my_kids_safe_from_internet_garbage.html
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Selecting Filtering Software For Your Family
http://familyinternet.about.com/cs/filteringsoftware/a/aafiltering.htm

Parent's Guide to Children's Online Safety
http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/onlinesafety.html


There are often ways to get around content restrictions and defeat filtering programs. Numerous web pages and chat rooms give tips on this subject. Kids have all the time in the world to experiment, you don’t.

Answer 2

there is a program you can buy, pc eye (my brother has it in his office), it records everything that's done on the computer/internet. or you can just check the history of your internet on your computer.

if they are that young they probably don't know that's there is a history button that shows every site that's visited, until it's deleted after whatever amount of days it's set to. (you can change that). as for tv shows just turn it off, plug it out, don't let them watch it, if you not always there, there isn't really that much you can do regarding the tv shows they can and can't watch

Answer 3

1. Most modern televisions have a "V-Chip" that will block television shows above a certain rating. You can override it if you have a password. DVDs and cable boxes have similar features.

2. If you have a router / multiple computer network, the router can filter out certain sites. If you have only one computer, invest in some monitoring program, like NetNanny.

Answer 4

Like, I'd tell you. I think the 13+ is old enough were they kind of know what they are doing. I would hate it if MY parents did that.