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Home » Computers & Internet » Parental Control Software » Parental Control Software Review

Parental Control Software Review

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Parental Control Software Overall Performance.

There's no need to lay out hefty sums for parental control software when there are so many good cheap or free parental control programs whose overall performance rivals that of the high-priced competition.

One caveat, however, pertains to security for your computer. As we all know, some downloads can wreak havoc on a system, so if you're obsessive about these matters, you may want to spring for a program that comes designed specifically for your operating system; one example is the Microsoft product that works exclusively with Windows Vista and costs about $100 a year.

Attracted by a free 21-day trial, many parents have installed ChildProtector Internet Filter (starts at $29.95 a year) only to discover that it doesn't work properly, and according to parental control software reviews by users on CNET, is nearly impossible to entirely scrub from the computer.

Security concerns aside, the performance of free and cheap downloadable parental control software often exceeds parents' expectations. In a parental control software review on Agoosa.com, one parent notes she's been using K9 Web Protection for a year and knows it works because her kids hate it. Net Nanny earns loud applause from parents for its ability to block categories of sites while allowing parental override for specific sites; expert parental control software reviews at All Internet Security say this ability to block or allow sites at will really empowers parents.

Parents who prefer to control every little bit of their child's online activity favor ParentalControl Bar for its near-total blocking power. They also seem willing to tolerate the tedium of unblocking sites they deem acceptable, according to parental control software reviews on CNET. KidLogger, on the other hand, monitors activities but doesn't let you block or approve sites; a blogger at DKSZone describes Kidlogger as a passive program that lets you snoop but not intrude. The best thing about Kidlogger is how effective it is at monitoring Web 2.0 sites (chats, social networking, etc.), so even though it doesn't allow you to block programs it does give you a really good picture of what your child is doing online. One parent writing a free parental control software review on Keylogger.com says he was initially skeptical about using free software, downloaded it nonetheless, and has been thrilled with its performance thus far.

Parental Control Software Installation.

Safe and easy installation is critical with monitoring programs. You don't want to compromise the guts of your computer by downloading corrupted programs, so always choose software that expert parental control software reviews deem safe, or software that can be downloaded directly from the product site or from a reputable third-party site, such as CNET.

Some programs may take a few extra minutes to install but reviewers say it's worth the trouble. For example, experts at ParentalSoftware.org warn that setting up Net Nanny requires working through more steps than is needed for other cheap or free parental control programs. A parental control software review at BrightHub gives Net Nanny a 5 out of 5 for ease of use owing to the simple setup wizard it uses. (Note that Net Nanny and CyberSitter can be ordered as CDs and installed that way, with updates downloaded when you get a prompt from the program.) ParentalControl Bar is a simple toolbar download that's a lot like the experience of downloading Google Toolbar or Yahoo Toolbar. Parents using K9 Web Protection write in parental control software reviews on CNET that installation is trouble-free. And parental control software reviews on RateItAll note that installing KidLogger is a breeze.

Parental Control Software Ease of Use.

One problem a lot of parents run into these days is that their kids are smarter than they are when it comes to technology. Unfortunately, some simple programs are so transparent that children can figure out how to outwit them, a problem that plagues CyberSitter, according to a user posting on Amazon. On the other hand, ease of use for the parent means it should be easy to turn off the monitoring system when you're the one going online. An expert parental control software review on CNET likes the ParentalControl Bar interface because you switch back and forth from child mode to parent mode with just one click; of course, a password is required to get into adult mode, but that's a no-brainer. Another expert parental control software review at PC Magazine recommends Net Nanny for novice parents because installation proceeds smoothly and automated default options block some sites as soon as you download. One parent commenting in a parental control software review on Amazon is high on Net Nanny after a year of use and notes that it not only monitors what the children are doing but also blocks smut that you don't want to see either.

Parental Control Software Advanced Monitoring.

Given the dangers lurking in the online world, advanced monitoring of children's activities is increasingly critical. This means you want to be able to see what kids are doing on Web 2.0 sites and also have the ability to control what your children see on the Internet rather than just recording the sites they visit. The higher-priced parental control software may be more comprehensive in this dimension, but free and cheap software holds its own. Experts at iSoftware Reviews like the multi-featured capabilities of K9 Web Protection (you can set time restrictions and different levels of protection by category, and specify exceptions to the general rule). Net Nanny offers a similar array of features, and lets you handle all this remotely. Other programs, like ParentalControl Bar, aren't as complex and may work best for people who aren't interested in advanced monitoring.

Our final word:

Monitoring your child's online activities should not be something that causes you a lot of hassle or costs a lot of money. There are many free parental control software programs on the market and several are sufficient for a variety of needs. Parents looking for advanced monitoring features may find it worthwhile to spend a few dollars on easy-to-install software, but it's certainly not necessary to spend more than $40 a year on a reliable monitoring program.

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CyberSitter
ChildProtector Internet Filter
Kidlogger
Parental Control Bar
K9 Web Protection
Net Nanny

 

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