What's being said to YOUR child online?
It was a dark and stormy night when Honorable Boy 1 said to me,
"Jeepers Mom, I want to play on Toontown! Can I chat too?"
Now, we're a VERY computer literate family; my kids were born knowing how to build Squidoo pages. Alright, that's a wee bit of an exaggeration, but suffice it to say...my kids LOVE traveling about safely online.
That's the key, you know....SAFELY. It's not what my kids will type online about which I will worry....it's what will other kids say to them?
Momma Bear Mom that I am, I decided to investigate keyboard and chat tracking online...and have written this lens so you will have the same information available for your own needs. So...let's first dive in with:
Contents at a Glance
- Want Keylogger hardware or software (keyboard trackers) right away?
- Why you want to track your child's interactions online
- Want useful resources about tracking your kids online?
Want Keylogger hardware or software (keyboard trackers) right away?
Here are some useful ones available right now on eBay. (got questions about registering on eBay? Check out my lens of How to join eBay and save bunches of money!
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byWhy you want to track your child's interactions online
I will confess. My home is NOT a democracy - it's a benevolent dictatorship and I am the benevolent dictator.
In other words, what Mom says....goes! I have decades of living experiences my kids lack...and I am in a far better position to know about the dangers online than my children. Thus, if they want to benefit from the Internet, they follow MY rules. Period, end of statement! (and yes, I'm aware that I'm depriving my kids of online privacy - they can just deal with that. Come college, they'll have all the privacy they can eat...and ideally by then, they'll also be educated enough to KNOW what I've learned myself).
So! Here are some reasons why you want to track your child's interactions online - do feel free to add your own!
Photos posted on Facebook, Bibo and other social sites are there forever!
Even once you think you have removed them.1 point
People LIE Online
It's pathetically easy for a 58 year old man or wo more...0 points
Porn/Hate/Intolerance sites abound
It's very easy to compel kids to click on links th more...0 points
Your kid might not know the extent of what she or he is sharing
If your child joins Facebook and bleeps every day more...0 points
Want useful resources about tracking your kids online?
Unless you've seen the utter horror that abounds online and how many young lives are twisted beyond repair by pedophiles, bullies, and other scum-like denizens of nose fungus hell, you simply cannot appreciate the dangers your kids might encounter.
Following are some resources I've found useful - please feel free to share your own!
Web Design Dubai
Abu Dhabi and Dubai Web design and web application more...1 point
Parents Need To Watch and Protect Their Kids Online
Kids are vulnerable because they are naive to the more...0 points
Internet Safety Tips, Safety Tips for Internet
Web Wise Kids offers Internet Safety Tips and Safe more...0 points
Parents Use Software to Track Kids' Online - WSJ.com
A growing number of parents are using consumer sof more...0 points
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/features/parental-controls.aspx
The parental controls built into Windows Vista are more...0 points
Website Design UK
Website Design UK based Company Established in 200 more...0 points
Beware of cyber-bullying, sexting, suicide and more
Another reason why you want to track what your child is doing online is the growing problems of:
Cyberbullying - online harassment
Sexting - sending R-rated or higher messages via chat, cell phones, etc.
Suicide - yes, children have committed suicide because of cyber-bullying.
Again, I must emphasize: Always keep the channels of communication open with your children!! Let them know that if someone is mean to them online or if they received something bizarre, YOU ARE THERE! Not to judge them but to guide them.
So far, I've been very blessed indeed - my children come to me with every sort of situation they encounter online (yesterday, Honorable Boy 1 told me, "Mom, someone was harassing me on Toontown so I reported him.").
YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN to feel you are a safe harbor for anything that might happen to them. But...if they're too reluctant to tell you about things, it's up to you to find out for yourself.
Some of the following links are most eye-opening indeed - do feel free to add your own.
RyanPatrickHalligan.org
In memory of Ryan Patrick Halligan, who was bullie more...0 points
Helpful Links Related to Cyberbullying
Provides research, strategies, and downloads to he more...0 points
"Sexting" Shockingly Common Among Teens - CBS News
Latest Case Involves Three Teen Girls In Pa. Who S more...0 points
Facebook Named In Cyber-Bullying Suit -- Facebook -- InformationWeek
A New York teenager has sued the social networking more...0 points
'Sexting' Teens Can Go Too Far - ABC News
'Sexting' Teens Can Go Too Far0 points
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/apr/04/cyber-bullying-schools-teachers-survey
Survey of school staff reveals negative online mes more...0 points
Parents: Cyber Bullying Led to Teen's Suicide - ABC News
Parents: Cyber Hoax Led to Teen's Suicide0 points
Behind the News - 12/05/2009: Cyber Bullying
You might remember before the holidays we did a st more...0 points
One way to track what your child does online
There are several ways you can track what your child does online.
One of them involves adding a Keylogger hardware like you see to the right. You plug it into the keyboard port on your computer and then plug the actual keyboard into that device.
When you want to see what's been recorded, you can simply open any word processor or text editor and enter your personal password. The Keykatcher will display a menu allowing you to view what's been recorded or you can search the data using NETPatrol or a keyword search.
You can get them right now from Amazone at rather good prices below:
Do YOU think your kids should have complete privacy when on the Internet?
I'm aware that many parents think their children should have 100% privacy online and that it's morally wrong for me to check up on them.
What's your take? Are you a vigilant parent or one who gives 100% privacy to your kids?
Should parents track their kids online?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byHeck yes - they need me there to alert them to potential dangers.
Heck no - it's a gross invasion of privacy.
Other resources regarding bullying
Bullying is really a lousy thing and alas, something that is all too prevalent today. Here are some anti-bullying resources you can consider.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand bySound off on protecting your kids online!
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As you can probably tell, I'm passionate about my kids and their safety online. I hope you enjoyed this lens!
Please feel free to share it with your network...I'll bet they'll find it useful as well. Oh, and if you get a chance, if you enjoyed reading this lens, might you rate it up top? I very much appreciate your time, thanks!
Share This! widget code was learned from the post: Squidoo Shameless Plug Widget. Credit - GreekGeek
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Reply
- lingstar lingstar Jun 15, 2009 @ 4:11 am | in reply to Pukeko
- Thank you so much for lensrolling it - I really appreciate that!! Glad you enjoyed it as well.
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Reply
- Pukeko Pukeko Jun 14, 2009 @ 8:07 pm
- Fantastic lens. I thought I was quite vigilant on this topic, but I have learned a few new things here. Thanks for taking the time to share your wisdom. I am going to lensroll it onto Homeschoolfun (as soon as I figure out how to do this)
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