Install monitoring software
HOW IT WORKS: Essentially, this method lets you police your kids by letting them police themselves. Instead of blocking or filtering, monitoring software merely records the addresses of every site kids visit to allow parents to review them later. Some of this software (such as SafeNet; Windows 95/98; $30) even saves small images of every page visited, which parents can quickly glance over. One piece of software, Bo Dietl's ComputerCOP (Windows 95/98; $20), searches your hard drive for pictures and key words embedded in text, then allows you to review the questionable files and try to get somebody to fess up.
PROS: For some kids, the simple knowledge that they are being watched--or not--is enough to keep them out of trouble.
CONS: Do you really want to play Big Brother?
BOTTOM LINE: This is not the most subtle approach, to be sure. Older kids will likely resent the invasion of their privacy, possibly causing more problems than it prevents.
But if you're less worried about what your kids are doing on the Internet than about how much time--or when--they are online, there's another option: you can install software (such as Lockdown, Windows 95/98; $30) whose sole function is to control how long various applications can be used and when. Using it, you can prevent your kids from launching Internet browsers (or any other programs you specify) when you're not at home or keep them from spending all night logged into a chat room.
Finally, there's the most foolproof filter of all--Ez Solve, Inc.'s NetProtector (Windows 95/98; $30), a physical lock that disables your computer's modem. Sometimes, the best high-tech solution is low tech.
