Re: Family Computer Accountability

You're most welcome, Marco. Good luck!

Marco wrote:
Thanks very much for your response. Appreciate the help.


...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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