Keeping the Internet Safe for Your Family

Without a doubt, the Internet is a tremendous resource and tool. Are you looking for current mortgage rates? Phone numbers of high-school classmates from twenty years ago? Directions on a do-it-yourself project? The capital of Madagascar? Today’s headlines? Do you want to play a game, meet a friend, or buy a stereo? All of these things and more are just a few keystrokes and mouse clicks away. It has become the encyclopedia, newspaper, source of entertainment, social scene, and mall for today’s generation.

We must always remember, however, that not all of the information obtainable on the Internet or everything that a credit card can buy there, is something we want appearing in our homes. The Bible tells us in Psalm 101:3, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” The unfortunate reality is that the Internet has made access to extremely objectionable material all too easy. And while parents must be vigilant to protect their children from damaging influences flowing into their minds and hearts from the family computer, they must also take care to protect themselves. The private nature of the Internet has opened doors in people’s lives that they otherwise never would have walked through. Untold devastation has been wrought in countless homes and lives by the negative side of the Internet.

So, should you throw your computer into the backyard and set it on fire? No, with a little homework and a lot of diligence, you can keep your household safe from the dangerous aspects of the web, while enjoying the positive benefits it affords. Many companies and organizations have made it their business to promote and facilitate Internet safety. The combination of one or more of the tools or services they offer, and consistent, responsible management on your part can provide a feeling of confidence about the presence of the Internet in your home. Let’s look at some of the various ways you can make the web safe for your family.

Family-friendly Internet Service Providers

The company you use to access the Internet is known in the industry as an ISP (Internet Service Provider). The vast majority of ISPs do not filter web content in any way. There are some firms, however, who aggressively block access to sites with objectionable content, making them an ideal choice for many families. The downside of this filtering, however, is that for various reasons, some sites get blocked whose content is fine. For instance, some forms of filtering block access to servers that host numerous companies’ web sites simply because some of the sites are offensive. Medical or educational sites get blocked due to their discussions of various health and well-being issues. For this reason some people choose ISPs such as AOL or MSN , which have user interfaces which feature extensive parental controls. These tools allow parents to both limit access to certain types of content as well as monitor the content that their children have been viewing, while allowing the parents to access any web site they wish.

Software Filters and Monitors

You can install Internet filtering software such as Cybersitter and Cyber Patrol on your computer to prevent access to certain web sites based on their content. Software applications such as Specter Pro and Cyber Snoop will track activity on your system so you can monitor where users have gone on the web, including recording chat sessions. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer allows you to set content filters so as to block objectionable content.

Parents of children who are more computer savvy than themselves should be aware that their children may well know how to circumvent these software-based controls, whereas with an ISP that blocks content, there is no way to do so.

Keeping Chat Rooms Safe

Many individuals, young and old alike, have become quite enthralled with chat rooms that allow real-time conversations to take place across town or across the world. While these types of sites, like email, can be wonderful for reestablishing old friendships, keeping in touch with family, networking with co-workers, or simply communicating with acquaintances when time allows, individuals must take great care to be sure they are not entering into relationships that can cause them spiritual or physical harm. Many young people have been lured into dangerous situations by a person they met in a chat room, and adults have found themselves drawn into damaging relationships through this medium as well.

Set some ground rules with your children regarding chat rooms, such as that they must never use their real name or give out any identifying information (phone numbers, hometown, school name, etc.). Let them know that the thirteen-year-old girl they think they are talking to may actually be a forty-year-old man. They also need to know that when the conversation turns to subjects or questions they feel uncomfortable with, they should end it, avoid that individual in the future, and let you know about the experience.

Newsgroups

One often-overlooked and potentially problematic area of the Internet is newsgroups. These are areas subdivided by topics where individuals post information that is supposed to relate to the particular topic. That is where the problem comes in, because some people will purposely post objectionable material in unrelated newsgroups, thus nullifying the effectiveness of software or ISPs that block only the negative topics. Some ISPs block newsgroup access altogether, but for those wanting less restrictive measures, the use of quality filtering software packages containing controls for newsgroup usage, or ISPs that partially block newsgroups, may be more appropriate.

Supervision and Accountability

Perhaps one of the most overlooked ways to monitor Internet surfing is through supervision. Unfortunately, in today’s fast paced environment, it is impractical for many parents to always sit beside their children while they are using the computer. Yet, placing the computer in a family room or other high-traffic area can help all the members of the family make sure they are avoiding potentially dangerous sites. If children have computers in their rooms, arrange them so the screen faces the door and consider making a rule that the door stays open when the computer is in use.

Another somewhat cumbersome, but workable way to monitor Internet usage is to review temporary Internet files and cookies that are stored on the system as web sites are visited. You will find hundreds and even thousands of files, many with cryptic names, but some will clearly reveal their content, and will also state when they were created. Browsers also maintain history lists that show which web sites have been visited. Keep in mind that temporary files, cookies, and history lists are very easy to remove, and thus cover one’s tracks, so they aren’t an effective way of monitoring a computer-aware user.

Open and honest communication about Internet usage in the home is critical. Parents should frequently ask their children and each other if they are staying on the safe side of the web. If someone in the family is having trouble maintaining purity because of the temptation of the Internet, and if they are spiritually sensitive, they will appreciate having someone to whom they are accountable. And if they are not, then more aggressive measures may have to be taken. No matter how valuable the Internet may be to you, it is never worth the damage it could do to one of your loved ones, or to yourself. Pray and ask God to guide you and your family, and to protect your home from damaging influences. And remember that the best possible filter for the Internet and all influences in our lives is the Spirit of God actively working in our hearts and minds.

Resources

www.filterreview.com Reviews of filtering software and family ISPs

www.getnetwise.org Provides extensive information for safe Internet use

www.kidshield.com Information, tools, and lists promoting Internet safety

www.covenanteyes.org Provides an accountability service