Re: Family Computer Accountability

...Is there a software our there that we can install that will
allow us to monitor sites that our computer has accessed?

Marco, chances are that your son is more computer savvy than you and has already deleted the information you're looking for. Here's what I recommend:

1. Have a serious talk with your son about his internet use (remembering that he's innocent until proven guilty) and consider taking punitive measures (e.g., no internet access for X days) just because you're the parent and you say so.

2. Locate the family computer in a public area (e.g., dining room; living room) where a parent can supervise its use. For their protection as well as yours, do NOT allow a computer to be located in your children's bedrooms.

3. Each family member should have and use his/her own, password-protected User Profile but only one Profile (yours) should have Administrative privileges. Of course, you will know everyone's password and serious consequences will ensue [see #1 above] if a password is changed without your knowledge.

4. From time to time, log-in to each of your children's User Profiles and review their browing History. Set the number of days to keep such History as desired. More at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ie6/using/howto/basics/history/button.mspx. (If you're running IE7 now, see Help > "To find websites you have visited" and "To change the number of days that webpages are kept in the browsing history".)

Here's a great tool for you to use to accomplish #3 and #4 above:

Windows SteadyState
(formerly known as the Shared Computer Toolkit for WinXP)

["Whether you manage computers in a school computer lab or an Internet cafe, a library, or even in your home, Windows SteadyState helps make it easy for you to keep your computers running the way you want them to, no matter who uses them."]

Download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=d077a52d-93e9-4b02-bd95-9d770ccdb431 (Validation Required)

Handbook Download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=d64af114-336c-4418-beb7-e074e813b498

Good luck!
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org

Marco wrote:
We have teenagers at home and until recently, they have demonstrated to be
trustworthy in not logging onto inappropriate websites. A couple of days
ago, our daughter informed us that her brother was using our computer to
visit x-rated sites. We don't want to challenge him about this until we
have proof. Is there a software our there that we can install that will
allow us to monitor sites that our computer has accessed? Thanks.

.

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