With the amount of time kids spend on the internet these days they are bound to run into websites which are unsuitable for their age. Preventing their exposure to inappropriate content on the internet can be done in many different ways. Some service providers give parents an option of filtering internet browsing while some parents stick to the old-fashioned way of laying down guidelines and timings for internet use. Several parental control applications also exist that can curb internet usage and prevent minors from accessing unsuitable websites.
How monitoring software works
Most monitoring applications function covertly without the user’s knowledge. From taking screenshots to keylogging, the applications offer different services that keep a responsible parent aware of what is going on in their child’s life. Logging both incoming and outgoing emails, instant messages and saving Web browsing history are also popular features of monitoring applications. Some sophisticated applications with top-notch services empower parents to the extent of knowing exactly what their child is doing at that moment. At predetermined intervals, the parental control app makes an audio recording of the surroundings of the PC.
Pros
The reason parents use this kind of software is the speculation that their child might be exposed to people or content that proves to be dangerous. Monitoring software keeps you informed and vigilant of your child’s activities on the internet and put a stop to them if they seem potentially unsafe.
Lately there has been a drastic increase in horror stories of children being victims to cyber crimes. Chat rooms may seem to be an innocent way of socializing but the fact remains that they are breeding grounds for cyberbullies and sexual predators and there is a high likelihood that your child can become an easy victim of these digital felons. At this point, parental control software allows parents to monitor all the conversations that their child is a part of and handle the situation with their experience and knowledge.
For single parents, software like these are very useful. Juggling between the responsibilities of good parenting and other tasks can be difficult. Monitoring software installed on the child’s PC is going to give single parents an insight into their child’s life without invading his/her privacy.
Parents are faced with several limitations as far as monitoring their kids manually is concerned. This can be a job well done by such tools.
Cons
While monitoring apps lends a helping hand to parents, there is also a possibility that when the child discovers that they are being logged, the parent-child relationship may suffer. Some malicious tools are also disguised within monitoring applications which can harm your computer.
Being protective of your child is not wrong and neither is letting them make their own decisions before the right age. The best way, however, is to stay informed and keeping a check on your child’s internet activities.
Author Bio: Jessica writes informative articles about developments in the tech bazaar. In many of her recent articles she explores how new trends in technology are affecting parenting. She can be reached at @Jcarol429
Earnest Parenting: help for parents who are considering parental control software.
How dare you disregard the obvious and awful cons of parental controls. your relationship will do more than suffer if a child knows they are being monitored. there is no trust in being monitored. I hope you know that confining your child to strict limitations on the web can result in many big fights and in the end not be worth it. You need to remember that children are more than children, they are people, and people hate being locked up.
Actually, I dare just fine blorg. I do agree that a relationship can suffer if the parent is acting in an overbearing manner. However, simply monitoring my child doesn’t necessarily qualify as overbearing. The whole thing depends on a lot of factors, not limited to the age and temperament of the child, the quality of trust that the parent has built up, and more.
There’s a lot of evidence out there to support the notion that children WANT to be in structured environments. They want rules and discipline. It’s safer. Asking a child to take responsibility for too much can damage them, and leave them feeling unsafe.
I institute controls on my children’s lives to protect them, and they know it. Since I have yet to hear an objection from them, I’ll keep on doing the best I know how when it comes to helping them grow up safely. There’s plenty of time for them to get into whatever trouble they can dig up when they’re adults and responsible for themselves.