Norton Online Family

I’m comfortable on the computer because I’ve been around them for years. My son TJ is starting to going online more so I’m trying to teach him to be careful, and to use the internet safely and responsibly. TJ enjoys watching videos, playing games, chatting in instant messages, going on YouTube and surfing the web. The problem is that he not all sites are what they seem and not all people are what they seem. He’s already signed up for something he thought was free that wasn’t, which I was fortunately able to cancel after I caught the first $9.99 charge. I need to know that he is safe but I also realize that I can’t stand over his shoulder every minute of the time he’s on the computer, so I was happy to get a chance to try Norton Online Family for free thanks to Mom Central.

Norton, maker of trusted computer and internet safety products for as many years as I can remember, has introduced Norton Online Family. Norton Online Family was designed to allow parents to be involved and aware of children’s online activities. To use it the parent creates a main account for themselves and then creates child accounts for each child that needs individual settings. That is not to say children can’t all use one account, they can but would all be subject to the same rules you set. Accounts are based on computer user/login accounts so your computer will need to be configured that way or you’ll find yourself subject to the rules you set for your children. The second step is to download the Safety Minder software onto any additional computers that are going to be monitored.

Features of Norton Online /Family include:

• Simple, One-Time Set Up: Create an account online and customize each family member’s profile based on age and maturity level.
• Easy to Use and Access: Check a child’s activity or modify a child’s profile, preferences, or time allotment anytime and anywhere using any Internet-connected device.
• Clear Reporting: All activities are reported in chronological order and only show the Web sites a child intended to visit – eliminating all the extra URLs, like ads, from Web sites.
• Helpful Search Insight: Easily view what words and phrases a child uses to search and where those searches lead online.
• Convenient Web Site Control: Control the Web content that flows into the home by prohibiting more than 40 topic categories.
• Secured Personal Information: Track, report and prevent personal information that a child may purposely or accidentally try to send via e-mail, IM or social networking site.
• Access to Social Network Information: Monitor activity on social networks like Facebook and MySpace with the ability to see how kids represent themselves, when they login and how often.
• Real-time Messaging: Built-in messaging allows parents to have real-time discussions with children about activities and better understand their intentions when visiting a Web site.
• True Transparency: Children are able to view the “house rules” they established with parents at any time and are notified when Norton Online Family is active, so there is no “stealth” mode.
• Custom Alerts: Parents can customize e-mail alerts to address urgent events so they know immediately when a child has reached a time limit or visited a blocked site, etc.
• Useful Time Management: An easy-to-use time management feature that – if parents find it necessary – gives each child a “curfew” that will limit computer usage.

I think families with children will find Norton Online Family an invaluable piece of software. The features I like best about it are the ability restrict the amount of personal information that a child gives out, the ability to set and monitor the amount of time a child spends on the computer, the ability to receive email notifications when certain events take place and the ability to view all instant messages sent.

Thanks to Norton and Mom Central I’m able to offer you the opportunity to check out Norton Online Family before it’s out of beta as well. Click here to register and create your Norton Online Family account. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it so please feel free to come back and leave a comment letting me know.

Tags: internet, safety, TJ

Category: Tech