Monitoring Software vs. Internet Predators

Simply put, predators are on the net. Some say the media has overblown the issue – but would you rather drop your guard, over-react, or take the middle ground and simply ensure safety. I wrote this blog because I use PC Pandora monitoring software – and I believe in it soo much – I want everyone to know about it (yes, they have given me permission to talk about it). Monitoring your child’s online activity is the best and smartest decision you can make as a 21st century parent.

Internet safety for young users is a hot topic right now. From sex predators, cyber bullies, and simple immaturity – kids online are facing threats from everywhere. But none of the dangers are as threatening as Internet predators.

While some experts want you to believe the news and media are blowing things out of proportion and that abductions are ‘extreme’ cases, that doesn’t nullify the fact that it still happens all the time. They may be rare cases and instances – but do you want to take the chance with your own child?

There are many variations of statistics for online predators, but the most common seems to be that: 1 in 7 children between ages 13 and 17 on the Internet today are approached by a stranger online, many of those times with the agenda of sex.

But it’s not just the feared and much-talked-about and criticized social networks. A new study was just released that shows most of these predators are in simple chat rooms. The study collected data on 1,588 children aged 10 to 15 years old. The children were asked about their online experiences over the past year. Among these children, 15 percent said they had an unwanted sexual solicitation. Only one-fourth of these occurred on a social networking site, such as MySpace or FaceBook. 33 percent of the kids said they were harassed online; but only about one-fourth of the incidents occurred on a social networking site. However, 43 percent of unwanted sexual solicitations occurred via instant messaging, and 32 percent occurred in chat rooms. Harassment was most common with instant messaging, which accounted for 55 percent.

Do any research on how these predators work and it is no surprise, yet still shocking. Some of them will come right out and more or less ask for it. But others will befriend a young user and gain trust. Then they strike. Almost everyone lies about their age and real person… anonymity is their friend.

The bottom line is these guys are out there and responsible parents of the 21st century should not be taking any chances. The words, “that could never happen to me” are a death sentence. They will invoke the wrath of Pandora’s box…

Fortunately, there is something you can do about it: monitor your children.

One of the biggest responses given by parents for their lack of monitoring is that they simply don’t get the technology. They are sure that no matter what they try to do, their kids will get around it anyway because they are more technically savvy then themselves – so why bother…? I’ll tell you why!

Because YOU (parents) have a secret weapon: PC Pandora.

Simply put – PC Pandora is monitoring software. It will monitor and record everything that your kids do on the computer. That doesn’t just mean online – it means everything. Emails, IM chats, websites visited, programs run… even movies and music downloaded.

The basic function is the recorder. Actual snapshots of the computer screen are taken at intervals, allowing you to see – visually – exactly what your child sees. Think of it like a DVR for your PC. No need to wade through lots of text to find out what your kids are up to. You can see it.

To back up the recorder, PC Pandora also logs and gives detailed reports on emails, IM chats, websites visited, programs utilized or run and any peer-to-peer file sharing. Once you know what your child is up to, you can talk to them about it and set up filters and blocks to prohibit websites and programs from being accessed. (You can even customize messages to bust your kids for trying to go somewhere you don’t want them to!)

Finally, the program also comes with a feature called the IRIS. This basically is a parent’s dream. You can have detailed reports sent to your email about your child’s online activity. If you are work when they get home from school, within minutes you can know what they are doing online. It’s just as good as being there next to them.

The program runs either silently or out in the open. And they have just released a new upgraded Version 5!!

Bottom line, with technology and tools like PC Pandora available to parents – there is no reason for not knowing what your kids are doing online – and more importantly – WHO they are talking to. Don’t take the chance and think, “oh that could never happen to my kids.” It can. And what’s worse – many young users consent to dangerous activity (like meeting in real life) because, let’s face it – they are kids!

Check out PC Pandora. They get my vote!

Also, here is another blog/site that talks about the need for monitoring:  Monitoring Child Internet Activity. What if your kid is being cyberbullied?! There’s no reason not to know…

~ by pcpandoradvocate on February 7, 2008.