What's the best way to monitor your teenagers internet activity?

Question

What's the best way to monitor your teenagers internet activity?

Answer 1

I'm no expert on computer security, but I think if your teen is really computer savvy (and face it, she's probably more savvy than you), there is no way to find out everything she's doing online.  

Mine have used dummy myspace pages, multiple email and instant messaging accounts, hard drive cleaners, and fake browser histories to throw off any "spies."  Programs that let you see what your kids are doing onlne can be faked out by having several windows open at once. Keystroke loggers can be detected by certain programs.   Parental controls are inconvenient because they often don't let kids access legitimate information.

It might help if the computer your teen is using is in  "public" area of the house and not his/her room.  But what if she's home alone?  And what's to stop any of them from using computers at a friend's house?

The bottom line: you have to trust them.  It never hurts to remind them about safety concerns, but kids need to be educated about safe internet use well before they become teenagers.  

Our parents couldn't control where we went when we went out, nor did they hear what we said to our friends on the phone or read those notes we passed in class (we hoped anyway!).  We survived.  Then again, we couldn't connect with thousands of people at the same time or send photos around the world. I don't know what to say about this.  Just watch your kids, talk to them, encourage them to get into activities and off the computer, and insist on meeting the friends that they hang out with.  

Answer 2

Keep it limited as a starter. You can always check the browser history to see what they've been doing and things like yahoo messenger have a built in chat logger. You could also have content filtered so say over 18s content sites need you to enter a password.  

Answer 3

do not try programs your kids will become aware and they can be VERY easily overwritten.

But if you must heres a site.

http://www.netnanny.com/promotions/netna...

Answer 4

Have a frank, open discussion about what is safe and what is not safe. Most teens know how to get around parent control software or their friends do. Keep the computer in the main room. Some sources suggest using Google to search their name or e-mail address and it sometimes tells you where they have been. They get around this by changing e-mails frequently using hotmail or yahoo. So, I repeat, frank open discussions and a computer in a main room is safest.  

Answer 5

Get internet blockers that don't allow children access to "adult" sites.

OR

Just come down and ask to see what they are doing. No need to snoop behind their backs.

Answer 6

im a teenager so i think that you should just let your child do what they do just tell them what you wont out of them

Answer 7

There are programs that you can buy and download that will tell you what your teenagers are viewing.  Just go to any computer store and ask them what they recommend.  Don't rely on simply looking at the computer's history.  Most kids are smart enough to simply delete the browsing history when they log off.

Use parental locks on your computer.  Remember to use a password that your kids can't guess.  The computer should also be in a common area.  Having a personal computer in their room is just asking for trouble.  

The most important thing though is to talk to your kids about the internet.  How to use it appropriately, what you expect from them and how to be safe.

Answer 8

get a key logger

Answer 9

I would just ask what they are doing and trust them. My friend has so many blocks that she can't even know her own passwords. its ridiculous!!!

Her father can read all the ims and emails that shes sent and received and view every site that shes been on. he now doesn't like my other friend because she accidently swore over email. DON'T DO THAT TO YOUR CHILD! its just creepy

Just talk about your child like whats safe and keep their trust. if they give you a reason not to trust them then don't let them use the computer for a while

Answer 10

You can set a parental control on your computer

Answer 11

This is a hard one because many savy teens know how to get the blockers off and still have access to the web other ways parents don't know. The average age a child sees p**n on the internet now is gone to 12 years old. A study done and was shared with CNN last year.

The only way to keep the child from seeing the p**n or bad stuff on the internet is to be there with your child while they are on the internet or be in the other room and tell them you will check up on them so that they are safe. Blockers really don't work all that well nowdays.

Answer 12

use the parental control

Answer 13

If you mean on the computer,

you can view the history of what website your child has been on or if you go to google you can see what they typed in.

Answer 14

dont teens need they're space let them be

Answer 15

the best way?

DONT