Before you install a web filter you MUST Do the following

Set up an online agreement with your kids.  They need to know what they can and cannot do on the Internet.

Set up user accounts for your kids.  If your kids are logged in as administrator they can easily turn off the web filter that is installed.  Make your kids use a restricted user account. The link provides YouTube video links that explains how to do this for each type of computer.

Set up Parental controls.  This is another add layer of controls.

Parent controls can manually restrict web sites.  This is great for toddlers and little kids.  However, a growing child needs to create projects and reports for school, he will inevitably want to search for information on the Internet. Now you won’t be able to manually control the allowed … Read More »

The top requested present this year for kids ages 10-15 was an iTouch. Those ages 15+, it was an iPhone, or iPad. I LOVE the iTouch. I got it for one of my anniversary gifts two years ago and I posted on my blog how I like gadgets better than jewelry. Fast forward two years and I have an iPad and iPhone as well. Ok, we get it. Everyone loves apple products, so what are the implications of these AMAZING devices.

An iTouch, iPhone, iPad are very similar to a COMPUTER. Let me repeat.  THEY ARE JUST LIKE A COMPUTER!!! The blogs about Internet Safety have been telling us for years to keep our computers in a ‘public’ location. The kitchen, family room, somewhere where you are likely to be seen. Also, the sites you are browsing can be seen. Any … Read More »

Back in my security lab days, my fellow lab rats would refer to Internet Explorer as “Internet Exploder”!  ha!  One of the first questions I ask when people are having problems with pop up’s or surfing the web is: “What web browser are you using? Internet Explorer or Firefox?” More often than not, people use Internet Explorer.  So, what is the difference?  Why is Internet Explorer less secure?

Updates – Internet Explorer is automatically installed with Windows.  Because of this, the only way to update Internet Explorer is through the Windows Automatic Updates.  That is fine, but the problem is that most people don’t think to install the Windows (which includes Internet Explorer) updates.
Market Share – Internet Explorer is used by 60% of web traffic.  If you were a nasty cyber crime thief, which browser would you go after? Internet Explorer … Read More »