Computers

As adults we loathe the idea of big brother watching over us and monitoring our every move. We have the right to privacy and should take every action necessary to preserve that right. As adults we can distinguish what is appropriate behavior and what is not–no one should be telling us what we can see, think, or do.

Our children, however, do not have the experience necessary to determine what is harmful and what is not. When our children turn on the television they can easily find programming that is unsuitable for young eyes. Fortunately, most of those programs are on late at night when parents are home. The dangerous content on the Internet is another matter entirely.

The Internet
The Internet has changed the course of human history unlike anything since the invention of the television. Information that was once found only in libraries can now be found on every computer screen in the world. The benefits of the Internet in our lives are immeasurable. The dangers it poses are immeasurable as well.

The Internet is a haven for thieves, predators, and pornographers. If you think keeping these agents at bay is easy–think again. Pornographers spend millions of dollars each year finding ways to get their products in front of as many eyes as possible. Do you think they care how old their viewing audience is? Predators are constantly coming up with more and more inventive ways to lure children out of their homes and into serious trouble. Is it so hard to believe that an adult might be able to trick a small child with an elaborately concocted story? Identity theft is at an all-time high. Wouldnt it be easier to coax information out of a small child than it would be to trick another adult?

These people do not care about your children; they only care about themselves. Parents must monitor the online activities of their children at all times. When parents are at home, they can sit with their children while their kids surf the Internet. When parents are not home, however, they need the help of PC monitoring software.

PC Monitors
PC monitoring software allows a parent to watch what his or her child is doing online from a remote location. If a parent is at work, for example, he or she can log into the PC monitoring application and watch in real time what his or her child is doing. PC monitoring software, also called PC spy software, can even be used to control access to certain programs (like internet browsers) from afar. Using the PC monitors remote capabilities, a parent can shut down his or her computer browser at home even if that computer is hundreds of miles away.

Some parents have an ethical problem with using PC monitors because they feel like they are spying on their children. In effect they are. The same software used to monitor children on the Internet is in fact often used to spy on cheating spouses or corrupt employees. There is a big difference, however, between spying on an adult and watching over a childs safety.

A Good Solution
Parents shouldnt treat their children like equals, but it makes sense that a parent wouldnt want to disrespect their children by spying on them either. Parents that have a moral problem with using spy software should remove spying from the equation. They should tell their children that they will be monitored at all times while on the Internet. When parents are honest with their children, their children are more likely to respect the internet rules their parents set forth.