The Nintendo Wii video game console can be connected to the Internet for access to a variety of features and content such as multiplayer gaming, online communication including the exchange of user created content, news, weather, game downloads, and web browsing.

News, weather, multiplayer gaming and online communication are free using Nintendo Wi-Fi. To play online and interact with others, Wii users must manually exchange friend codes generated by playing Internet-enabled games. The use of friend codes doesn't always ensure your children are playing with someone they know because codes are often posted publically to message boards and blogs by users looking for other game players.

In addition to the free features, users have the option of purchasing video games for download as well as Nintendo's Web browser for Internet surfing. These purchases are made using Wii Points which can be bought at retails stores or online. To learn more about the purchasing and use if Wii Points visit: http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/wii/en_na/channelsShop.jsp.

Wii Parental Controls

Nintendo Wii offers parental controls for both the individual video game playing experience and the Internet connection.

Game Settings:
You can select the 'highest rated video game' acceptable for your children to play on the Wii console. The Wii's video game rating selections reflect those of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and include Early Childhood through Mature-rated games with the default setting allowing all to be played. Keep in mind that Nintendo GameCube games can be played on the Wii, but can not be controlled by Wii Parental Controls. You can learn more about the ESRB ratings by visiting: http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp.

Internet Connection:
If your Wii is connected to the Internet, you can restrict your children from:
- use of the web browser (if it has been downloaded)
- use of Wii Points (Note: Nintendo Wii Parental Controls does not restrict the purchase of Wii Points.)
- access to news
- sending and receiving messages
- exchanging user generated content

To learn more about Nintendo Wii Parental Controls, visit: http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/wii/en_na/settingsParentalControls.jsp.

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Many parents don't really "get" this whole social networking thing. Some parents simply don't want to know. Others really want to know so they can understand what their kids are doing online.

One of the challenges that some adults find in social networks is that they aren't comfortable with the netiquette on a given site. They are perfectly functional adults in every other social situation, but when they get online, the rules are different. Until someone tells them the etiquette, they don't know what "normal" is. If they want to sign up for a profile on one or more of the same sites as their kid, they will most likely want to link to your, i.e. their child's, profile.

Here are some things to keep in mind when introducing parents to the world of social networking:

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1. I always CHECK FIRST with my parents, guardians, or other trusted adults before going anywhere or doing anything when I'm on the Internet.
2. I KNOW MY FRIENDS who contact me on the Internet, IM and e-mail.
3. I TELL someone NO if they do things online that make me feel scared or uncomfortable, or confused, because it's OK for me to stand up for myself.
4. I TELL my parents guardians, or other trusted adults if anything happens to me online.

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This holiday season, would you like to make informed and timely video game purchases for your family? Are you having trouble trying to figure out if a game may be right for your kids, nieces or nephews? To give parents the inside information they need to make smart choices about video games for their families, AOL just launched PlaySavvy.com, http://www.playsavvy.com, a new site that aims to help parents of children ages 5-17 decipher the world of games, both PC and console.

PlaySavvy provides the following features:
o. Gaming 101 - PlaySavvy editors help parents understand game ratings and where to find them on a game box, show parents how to use parental controls on various game systems, offer tips on which online games and web sites are safe for children, and provide advice for first-time buyers on the differences between video game systems and which one is most appropriate for their family.
o. Parent Q&A - Consumers can ask questions about games and get answers from a panel of real-life parents.
o. Reviews - Video game experts evaluate how appropriate (and how much fun) specific games are for kids.
o. Relevant How-To Articles - PlaySavvy staff helps guide parents through the vast video game world including hot-button topics such as content and safety.

With video game systems now in a majority of households, and online games a click-of-the-mouse away on any computer, it's easy to get overwhelmed just trying to figure out what these games are about, to say nothing of exposure to excessive violence, inappropriate content and the dangers of interacting with strangers online. PlaySavvy helps parents stay aware of their kids' entertainment choices, including assisting them in making informed decisions when purchasing games for their children. You can learn more about Video Games and Consoles by reading this blog entry within SafetyClicks.

On the PlaySavvy site, check out Shigeru Miyamoto's - the man behind Mario, Donkey Kong, and the Nintendo Wii- Three Simple Rules for Parents.

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As a teen, you've probably looked at tons of blogs and may even have blogs of your own on the Internet. For those of you who are just starting off, a blog is your very own portion of the web where you can express your views, post pictures or video and gather feedback on a variety of topics. The SafetyClicks site that you are on is a blog where we talk about online family safety tips on a variety of topics. Whether you're an experienced blogger, or just starting out, here are some basic things to keep in mind:

Think Before You Post:
What can you post on a blog? Just about anything! But that doesn't mean you should post anything and everything. As with anything that you post on the Internet, always remember to think before you post. What you say online is out there forever, and you really don't want to post something that could come back and haunt you for many years to come. Even if you delete something you posted from your blog, someone else may have copied it and posted it elsewhere on the Internet. I would recommend you also read another blog on this site, "Who's Looking at You," to understand how your virtual world could impact your success (or not!) in the real world.

Privacy & Permissions:
We strongly recommend that you check out the privacy settings on your blogging site before you publish your blog. When you create a blog, the default privacy setting is often set to public meaning your blog can be read by anyone on the Internet. However, you can usually change this to make your blog viewable to selected users under in your blog's permissions or privacy settings. Some services allow you to invite others to contribute to your blog as authors, as well as to invite individuals to read your blog. Using these settings, you can restrict your audience to only people that you know, and not just everyone who has access to the Internet.

MySpace Blog Settings:
If you blog on MySpace, you have several privacy options. Please note that the Subject of all of your MySpace blogs will always show on your profile page regardless of the privacy setting you select.
Public - Anyone can read your post
Diary - Only you can read your post (you can use this like a diary)
Friends - Only MySpace "Friends" can read your post
Preferred List - Only those on your Preferred List can read your post

Follow the Rules:
Our good friends at ConnectSafely.org have provided great information that teens need to be mindful of when they blog online. Anytime you blog, you need to be aware of your blogging site's rules or "terms of service." Violating them not only risks getting taken off the service but they're usually there for some good reasons: to protect you, to protect others and to keep you on the correct side of the law. Most of the rules are pretty obvious:
- don't send spam
- don't stalk, threaten or harass anyone
- don't post any inappropriate content on your blog
- don't knowingly distribute viruses and other harmful code

These are general guidelines to follow, and each blogging service has specific rules that their users must follow. Here are links to MySpace, Facebook, Bebo, and Blogger's rules.

Involve your Parents:
We recommend that you tell your parents about your blog and even show it to them. This will go a long way in building their trust and reassuring them that you are adhering to basic online safety and privacy rules. And, who knows, they may actually be able to give you some more ideas to blog about!

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Microsoft's Xbox 360 offers game playing and movie watching. It also offers Xbox Live, an optional, subscription based service offering online multiplayer gaming, voice, text and video chat, and multimedia downloads such as games, movies, and TV shows.

Xbox 360 offers parental controls called Family Settings to help control the types of games and movies that your children can play or view based on their industry content ratings. They also provide settings to control Xbox live. The following highlights the Family Settings for the Xbox.

Game Ratings
The default for video settings on the Xbox 360 is "Allow All Games" which allows users to play Early Childhood (EC), Everyone (E), Everyone 10+ (E10+), Teen (T) and Mature (M) games. Xbox does not support Adult (AO) games. You can change the Game Ratings setting to the ESRB rating you determine is appropriate for your children.

Video Ratings
The Video Rating option in the Family Settings has four categories: "Movie Ratings," "TV Ratings," "Explicit Video," and "Unrated Video." The movie and TV settings are based on industry ratings and are defaulted to allow all rated movies and shows which gives users access to R-rated movies and mature TV programs; however you can change this setting to reflect what is age-appropriate for your children. Explicit and unrated videos are also set by default to allow these types of videos, but you have the ability to block access to them.

Xbox Live
The default setting for Xbox Live is to allow access. If you decide to block access, there is no ability to connect to Xbox Live to interact or download content. If you decide to allow access, there are additional settings that you need to be aware of and set including access to online games, text and voice chat, as well as video chat.

Xbox 360 Family Timer
The timer gives you the ability to control the amount of time your children can use the Xbox 360. If you decide to take advantage of the timer, there are two options: "Daily," which can set time in 15-minute increments, or "Weekly" which can set time in 1-hour increments.

Xbox Family Settings provide tools for you to establish an age-appropriate gaming playing and entertainment experience for your children, but remember the settings offered are all defaulted off. You must set them up to reap the benefits.

To learn more about Xbox 360 Family Settings including detailed instructions on how to set up Family Settings, visit: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/familysettings/.

Useful Links

Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
The TV Parental Guidelines

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Video gaming can be an enjoyable and entertaining experience for the whole family and there are many games to choose as well as consoles. Like other forms of entertainment there are age-appropriate considerations for both the content of the video game and the functionality offered within the video game console.

Video Games

If you are considering purchasing a video game, make certain that you take a look at the rating. All video and computer games are rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (or ESRB). The ESRB is a non-profit, self-regulatory body that independently assigns computer and video game content ratings along with enforcing advertising guidelines and helping to ensure responsible privacy practices for the interactive entertainment software industry.

ESRB ratings have two components, the rating symbol and the content descriptor. The rating symbol gives guidance on age-appropriateness of the game and is found on the front of the video game package. There are 6 age ratings:

- Early Childhood ("EC") - Recommended for ages 3 and older
- Everyone ("E") - Recommended for ages 6 and older
- Everyone 10 Plus ("E10+") - Recommended for ages 10 and older
- Teen ("T") - Recommended for ages 13 and older
- Mature ("M") - Recommended for ages 17 and older
- Adults Only (Adults Only) - Only Ages 18+

Content descriptors provide context for the age rating and are located on the back of the video game package. There are 30 content descriptors in total ranging from alcohol references, to violence, sexual themes, simulated gambling, and tobacco. For a full explanation of ESRB ratings and descriptors, visit http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp.

The ESRB also provides a helpful search tool on their homepage so you can easily find the ESRB rating for a game. The tool allows you to search by title, rating, content descriptor, publisher and platform and can be found by visiting: http://www.esrb.org/index-js.jsp. SafetyClicks also provides the ESRB rating tool on our home page for your convenience.

Game Consoles

Let's move on from video games and take a closer look at game consoles. There are two types of consoles, video game consoles and handheld consoles. Video game consoles are connected to a television or computer for graphic display. Handheld consoles are portable with the controls, screen and speakers built into the unit.

There are several game consoles on the market today including Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS (portable), Sony PlayStation 3, and the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP). These consoles have varying features and functions, but most include an Internet connection allowing online game playing and chat. And, most of them provide controls for parents and caregivers to create an age-appropriate gaming experience. However, these controls differ depending on the console.

So, let's take a closer look at the parental controls for individual consoles..................

Microsoft Xbox 360
Nintendo's Wii
Nintendo DS
Sony PlayStation 3 (coming soon)
Sony PSP (coming soon)

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Recently Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell paid us a visit here at AOL and we got a chance to chat with him about online safety. You don't have to be on the topic long before you realize how important General McDonnell considers educating families about online safety. He did not hesitate when we asked if he would blog on the subject for our SafetyClicks parents.

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How do we parent our kids online? It's an important question as our kids seem to increasingly spend more time interacting in the online world than they do in the offline world. In fact, I am probably dating myself by distinguishing between 'online' and 'offline' when, for teens, there has been a convergence of these worlds. Teens don't often distinguish between online and offline, but go about their daily lives communicating seamlessly. It is more about interacting than how they interact.

So, where do we start? It can seem a bit overwhelming when you take a broad look at how our kids can get online - computers, mobile phones, gaming devices, PDAs, and some MP3 players - each posing potential risks; and, what they can do while they're online. (See our article on "Getting a Handle on Devices" for more information.)

My recommendation is to break it down and start with the 3 E's:

Engage

Engage in discussions with your kids about their online activity. Learn about how they're getting online and what they like to do while online. It is important to keep the dialogue going because the Internet and technology are constantly evolving - what is in today will be out tomorrow

Educate

Educate yourself! Learn about the different online services and Internet-enabled devices that your kids are using, the risks posed and available safeguards. You don't have to be an expert in the services or use of the devices, but simply realize their capabilities, both pros and cons.

Educate your kids! Teach them about the risks that these services and devices present and how they can protect themselves. Remember this is no different than educating them about dangers in the real world. Think about the first discussion you had with your children regarding "stranger danger."

Empower

Empower yourself by using parental controls to monitor and/or control you kid's online activity. Most Internet-enabled devices offer parental controls. Monitoring will help you keep an eye on where they are going and what they're doing. Having this information gives you discussion points for continuous engagement. Controls will help also prevent your kids from accessing material that may be inappropriate for their age.

Empower your kids by helping them set up available tools like privacy and communication settings, and helping them to understand that that they can take control of their online experience through use of these tools. (See our article on "Privacy Settings for Social Networks" for more information.)

It is important to realize that, just as in the offline world, parenting online never comes to a stop. It's a never-ending cycle of conversations, learning, monitoring and protecting.

To support the 3 E's, it is my hope that this post serves as an introduction that will lead to a series of in-depth explorations into the various online services as well as the devices on the market. If there is a particular service or device that you would like us to blog about, send us feedback using the Send Feedback link above.

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Your Online Persona Can Help or Hinder College and Work Prospects

Imagine this: You've spent your high school years taking the most challenging course work offered, juggling multiple extracurricular activities and preparing for and excelling in your SAT's − all with the hopes of getting into your dream college. But ultimately you are denied entry for something you had never considered would become a factor: the content posted on your social networking profile.

This can and does happen. Colleges and universities are turning to social networking sites to learn more about their applicants. A recent survey conducted by Kaplan of 320 admissions officers from the nation's top colleges and universities revealed that one out of ten had used an applicant's social networking site in making the admissions decision. The survey found the social networking site could either benefit or harm the applicant.

Specifically:

▪ 25% of those who reported viewing applicants' sites said that these viewings had a positive impact on their evaluation; while,

▪ 38% reported that the applicants' social networking sites had a negative impact on their admissions evaluation.

(Read more about the study in the Kaplan press release.)

Content that had negative impact on the admissions decision included party pictures, underage drinking, reckless behavior, and fighting.

Online Reputation and Your Job

Online reputation isn't just impacting college-bound students. It has an impact on adults in the job market as well, and could play a role in whether you are hired or fired.

A nationwide survey of 3,100 employers recently released by CareerBuilder found 22 percent of hiring managers polled use social networking sites to research potential job candidates and nine percent said they were planning to start.

Thirty-four percent of the hiring managers who researched job candidates via social networking sites found information that caused them to dismiss the candidate from consideration. Reasons included:

o. 41% - candidate posted something about drinking or using drugs
o. 40% - candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or information
o. 29% - candidate had poor communication skills
o. 28% - candidate "bad-mouthed" their previous company or fellow employee
o. 27% - candidate lied about qualifications
o. 22% - candidate used discriminatory remarks related to race, gender, religion, etc.
o. 22% - candidate's screen name was unprofessional
o. 21% - candidate was linked to criminal behavior
o. 19% - candidate shared confidential information from previous employers

On the positive side, 24 percent of the hiring managers found information that gave the job candidate an edge over other applicants. Information included:

o. 48% - candidate's background supported their qualifications for the job
o. 43% - candidate had great communication skills
o. 40% - candidate was a good fit for the company's culture
o. 36% - candidate's site conveyed a professional image
o. 31% - candidate had great references posted about them by others
o. 30% - candidate showed a wide range of interests
o. 29% - candidate received awards and accolades
o. 24% - candidate's profile was creative

(For more on this study, see the CareerBuilder press release.)

In other situations, employees have been fired over content on their social networking profiles.

Remember, there is no guarantee the content you post on the Internet will remain private or available to only your friends. Before you post, ask yourself what would happen if your teacher, coach, college admissions officer, potential employer or employer viewed the content. If the answer is that the content could have a negative impact, don't post it.

Talk about it!

What do you think about admissions officers and hiring managers using social sites to take a glimpse at your personal life, and then using that snapshot to make a professional decision about you? Has this happened to you or someone you know? Post comments to share your opinion or tell us about your experience.

Related News Articles:

Wall Street Journal article, "College Applicants, Beware:
Your Facebook Page Is Showing"

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▪ Be your own person. Don't let friends or strangers pressure you to be someone you aren't. And know your limits. You may be Net-savvy, but people and relationships change, and unexpected stuff can happen on the Internet.

▪ Be nice online. Or at least treat people the way you'd want to be treated. People who are nasty and aggressive online are at greater risk of being bullied or harassed themselves. It's a vicious cycle you really don't want to get into.

▪ Think about what you post. Sharing provocative photos or intimate details online, even in private emails, can cause you problems later on. Even people you consider friends can use this info against you, especially if they become ex-friends.

▪ Read between the "lines." It may be fun to check out new people for friendship or romance, but be aware that, while some people are nice, others act nice because they're trying to get something. Flattering or supportive messages may be more about manipulation than friendship or romance.

▪ Don't talk about sex with strangers. Be cautious when communicating with people you don't know in person, especially if the conversation starts to be about sex or physical details. Don't lead them on - you don't want to be the target of a predator's grooming. If they persist, call your local police or contact CyberTipline.com.

▪ Avoid in-person meetings. The only way someone can physically harm you is if you're both in the same location, so - to be 100% safe - don't meet them in person. If you really have to get together with someone you "met" online, don't go alone. Have the meeting in a public place, tell a parent or some other solid backup, and bring some friends along.

▪ Be smart when using a cell phone. All the same tips apply with phones as with computers. Except phones are with you wherever you are, often away from home and your usual support systems. Be careful who you give your number to and how you use GPS and other technologies that can pinpoint your physical location.

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In the real world, my children need my permission anytime they want to have friends over. I know when they arrive, when they leave, and all the activities that go on in between (usually because they're so loud that I can't help from knowing, or they are so bored that I am expected to help them 'find something to do').

In the virtual world, though, we don't always have the same ability to monitor our kids' online activities, and this is especially true in the case of webcams. Webcams pose a significant threat to online safety because they can allow virtual strangers to peek inside your home, almost as if they were looking through a window. If children aren't taking the right precautions, outsiders can potentially see how they are dressed, what they look like, what they're doing and, just as with pictures, they can learn a lot about your kids from what is within view in the background.

Does your child have a webcam? Before you answer take a good look at your computer monitor or laptop because they are now being built-in and are so inconspicuous you could look right over them (especially with the newer Mac laptops). And, if they do, do you know how the camera being used?

If you permit your child to have a webcam, you should treat it the same way you would if they had a friend over, and then take some extra precautions. Here are a few tips:

▪ Set rules for when your kids can use the camera and for how long.

▪ Know who they are talking to -- it should never be a stranger, but a friend they know in the real world.

▪ The web cam should be used in an open space (not behind a closed door) where you can monitor the activity.

▪ Make certain your kids are appropriately dressed. Remember, everything on the Internet can be snagged and shared.

▪ Cover the camera or unplug it when not actively in use, just to be safe. Believe it or not, intruders can use spyware and other methods to secretly turn on a camera and view what's on the other side, even when it does not appear to be in use.

Following these tips will help you stay on top of who they've invited into your house!

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Being armed with the combination of good information and good judgment is particularly important when you allow your child to be online. Talking to your kids regularly about how to be safe goes a long way. Even if you think they aren't listening, some or all of what you tell them is bound to sink in. So the more you can make the topic of keeping safe online a part of your day-to-day conversations, the more you provide your child the building blocks for a fun, enriching and safe online experience.

Although it is up to each parent to develop the rules that best apply to your child, there are some fundamental household rules that every parent should think about including.

▪ Keep the computer in a central location in the home instead of a child's bedroom.

▪ Anything that makes a child feel uncomfortable should be shared with a parent.

▪ Do not believe everything you read on the Internet.

▪ Children cannot meet people they meet online without a parent.

▪ Do not share passwords with anyone, including friends.

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The video phenomenon is here and it's not going to fade away anytime soon. If anything, it's going to become an integral part of our children's self expression on the Internet.

Think about it - one the most popular TV programs among tweens today is a about a young girl, who along with her friends, produce a popular online show. Within the TV program they solicit the real world audience to send in their own videos in hopes of having them highlighted, either on TV or online. And, to make it easy for them, they are marketing branded camcorders that plug directly to the computer for easy upload!

If your child is sharing videos on the Internet, there are two things you and they need to consider:

1. What is the focus of the video?
2. What information is revealed either directly or indirectly in the background?

Children have a plethora of devices available to quickly take and upload videos to the Internet, including their cell phones, and often times they don't realize what they are the conveying to strangers. What they believe is simply good fun could be reputation damaging, it could be harmful to others who are in the video, it could be perfectly fine but reveal too much information in the background causing a risk of being located offline by people they don't know.

Catching and sharing the moment is not always a good idea. Ask your teen to keep these 5 questions in mind before they decide to upload a video.

1. Was it meant to be a private occasion that should be kept private?
2. Is this something that I would want the world to see or, at minimum, people who know me - my parents, my grandparents, my teachers, my coach, or my college admissions office?
3. Is it giving away any personal information about me or someone else?
4. Could it embarrass someone else who is in the video?
5. Is it meant to be hurtful to anyone, especially someone that I am mad at or don't like?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then the video should not be uploaded. But, don't worry there are plenty more things that can be!

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Chat rooms are a popular way of communicating on the Internet, especially for young people. Chat rooms provide an opportunity for people all over the world to come together and chat on a variety of topics in real-time. Typically, these chat rooms are text-based and chatters are identified by user IDs or screen names (e.g., In2CheerForFun2), and they can "talk" to each other by simply typing in what they want to say. Whatever they type appears on the screen to everyone who is participating in the chat room.

There are chat experiences available for kids who have just learned to read and write to much older teens getting ready to graduate from high school. There are also chat rooms for adults. The different chat experiences offer different levels of user protection and are outlined here:

Predefined Chat
Chatters are limited to chatting with a predefined list of messages and responses.

Free Form, Un-moderated
Chatters can freely type any terms or phrases. There is often a report abuse button to notify the ISP of inappropriate behavior.

Chat Safety Tips for Kids

▪ Make certain your child is chatting in an age-appropriate environment. Look at the acceptable age of use. For younger kids, it's highly recommended that they participate in a heavily controlled environment such as predefined or filtered chat. As they get a bit older, a free form moderated chat environment may be best. It is really up to you based on your comfort level as well as your child's age and maturity.

▪ Keep an eye on your child when they are chatting. Kids have their own chat lingo using acronyms and emoticons, or visual feelings, that you should become familiar with. To help you get started, here are a few examples:

QT - Cutie
POS - Parents Looking Over Shoulder
ROFL - Rolling On the Floor Laughing
: ) Happy
: ( Sad
>:( Angry

(See our article on "Internet Lingo" for and the IMglish Glossary for more examples)

▪Talk to your child about sharing personal information with people they don't know. Sometimes it's easy for kids to develop a friendship with someone that they have chatted with regularly which may give way to sharing information that should remain private such as their full name, address, school and other personal information. Remember, unless it is someone your child knows in the real world, they really don't know them.

▪ Let them know that meeting online friends in person is really not a good idea. They may talk to them on a regular basis, but they really don't know who is behind the user ID or screen name. If they do want to meet an online friend in real life make sure that you or another trusted adult goes along and that you meet in a public place like a mall or restaurant.

▪ Remind them that the Internet has a permanent memory. Any information that is shared online will live on forever. If they share a picture of themselves with another chatter, they no longer have control of where that picture is posted publicly, who it is shared with privately or how it is manipulated.

▪ Explain the importance of taking control of their chat experience. Most chats have features to block or ignore other chatters and some provide a report abuse mechanism to notify the service provider of potential abuse. Most importantly, let your child know that if something is said in a chat room that makes them feel uncomfortable, they should stop chatting and tell you or another trusted adult.

▪ Make certain your child's screen name or user ID is appropriate. Screen names and user IDs convey a message just like vanity license plates on cars. Kids should not portray themselves in a risqué manner or in a way that reveals too much information about them (e.g., KLong12inWincVA). Both of these things may draw the attention of unsavory individuals.

John Shehan of the Center for Missing and Exploited Children talks about how parents can keep kids safe from online predators:

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Social networking has brought about a concept known as 'friending' which describes the act of making friends online through sites such as Bebo, MySpace and Facebook. It's easy - all you have to do is send a request asking someone to be a friend. Teens typically start with sending requests to their own friends and then their friends' friends. Through 'friending' teens can have an ever expanding list of friends. In fact, the number of friends one has online is often equated to their online popularity and can often reach into the hundreds.

But are they all really friends? No, must of them are not - they are simply acquaintances and sometimes not even that. Teens often grant friend requests because they don't want to hurt someone's feelings, or so that they can feel more popular by having a large number of friends. So what are some of the concerns with 'friending'? Well, to start, as soon as your teen 'friends' someone, that person has access to your teen's profile. Information that would be appropriate to share with a close friend such as pictures, party invites and school happenings should not be shared with acquaintances, or someone they know very little about. There is always a chance that the information could be used in an abusive manner such as sharing without permission, altering photos, cyberbullying, and even stalking.

Talk to your teen about who is on their friends list and the risks posed by sharing too much information with people they really don't know. Most social networking sites offer privacy preferences that allow users to determine who from their list of friends can view certain information. Make certain that your teen is taking full advantage of these tools to protect themselves and their information.

For more information, see our article "Privacy Settings for Social Networks".

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If you're like many parents, you try to keep track of what your kids are doing online by watching them when they're on the computer. This can be a time-consuming method, and your kids may want to explore the Internet even when you're not around to "babysit" their activity. Parental Controls software can help you feel more confident about letting your children explore the Internet without you needing to be physically present ever time they go online. In this article, I'll give you a basic overview of the types of tools available so that you are better equipped to decide what type of software best suits you and your child.

The breadth of parental controls software available on the market today can be confusing and overwhelming. But in general, they fall into four basic categories:

1. Basic Filtering

Basic web filtering software blocks access to inappropriate web sites, such as pornography sites. The two most popular basic filtering solutions are browser toolbar plug-ins: Parental Control Toolbar for Internet Explorer, and Glubble for Firefox. Both allow parents to approve websites from the toolbar based on a history of the websites blocked. Glubble requires users to login so that child accounts can only access a pre-approved list of kid-friendly websites. Although limited in features compared to other types of parental controls software, these basic plug-ins are free.

2. Operating Systems

Microsoft's Vista and Apple's OS X both include basic parental controls in the operating system, accessible via a Control Panel or System Preferences, respectively. Parents create their own administrator accounts, and then create individual accounts for their children. Both provide basic web filtering, computer time limits, application controls and activity reports.

3. Security Suites

An increasing number of security suites, such as McAfee and Norton, have started bundling parental controls features within their higher-end suite offerings. These software packages incorporate anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, and parental controls into one bundle. The parental controls features include web filtering, application controls, timers, and activity reports.

Many ISPs now offer security suites free with their service, or for a small additional fee. Check with your ISP provider to see if it offers a security suite, and if that suite contains parental controls. If so, remember to download and activate the software properly. (You may also want to look at the fine print: Some ISPs only offer the suite free for a limited time.)

4. Specialized Parental Controls Software

These "stand-alone" solutions are still extremely popular. At one time, these products were only available to purchase in a box from a retail store, but now are also available for purchase and immediate download online. These products offer robust features including web filtering, application controls, time limits, e-mail and IM monitoring, and alerting/reporting. Some also offer basic social networking monitoring (such as Safe Eyes monitoring for Facebook). Some of these programs even go as far as logging every IM conversation or e-mail for a parent to review (such as WebWatcher) in a way that is entirely invisible to the child. Some parents are uncomfortable with this type of surveillance, though, and believe it to be a form of "spying" -- the online equivalent of reading their child's diary. Other parents welcome this level of monitoring and consider it appropriate.

Now that you're familiar with the basics of parental controls software, here are some things to keep in mind when considering the right software for you and your child:

1. How old is your child?
   
   
   • Is your child 7 or 15? The level of monitoring and safeguards you may want probably differ depending on your child's age. You may want your younger child to have tighter safeguards in place to help prevent them from stumbling upon inappropriate web sites. But you may want your teenager to have a greater degree of freedom when browsing the web. Consider software that allows you to customize your child's experience based on their age.
     
2. How much time do you have to monitor activity?
   
   
   • Most parents do want to provide a safer Internet experience for their children, but dislike the amount of time they have to spend reading logs or responding to requests. If this is the case for you, select software that aggregates your child's activity into an easy-to-read report. Some reports are only available on the computer that has the software installed on it. Other software can e-mail or text parents a report or alert. A few products even enable parents to go to an online web site to view a report.
     
3. How much information about your child's online activities do you want to know?
   
   • Do you want just a high-level summary of where your child goes online? Most parental controls software can record this level of information. Some break down the list by individual child, and some by computer (no distinction between users).
     
   • Do you want to know absolutely EVERYTHING, including full transcripts of your child's IM conversations and e-mails? Then you may want to install software that goes beyond monitoring and enables surveillance capabilities. These features may be referred to as keystroke logging or text scraping. Beware: some of these applications may be marked as spyware or trojans by security programs and can sometimes work to erode trust between child and parent. Some child safety advocates recommend against using surveillance features for this reason.
     
4. Management and notification?
   
   • Since you can't always be around when your kids are using the computer, it's important to consider programs that allow you to manage settings and receive reports/notifications remotely. Many products offer to send you an e-mail when your child tries to access a blocked website. Safe Eyes even lets parents receive these notifications via text message. Some products, like AOL Parental Controls and McGruff Safeguard, allow the parent to manage settings and view reports for their child on the web. This type of remote configuration gives the parent the flexibility to change their child's settings and view their child's online activity from any computer.
     
5. How much do you want to spend?
   
   
   • Free -- consider the free browser plug-ins mentioned above, or consider free parental controls stand-alone software such as AOL Parental Controls or McGruff Safeguard. Both of these programs are available free to anyone (regardless of your ISP), and are comparable to retail programs costing anywhere from $30-$80. And dont' forget: You can also check with your ISP to see if it offers parental controls for free.
     
   • $$$ -- If you prefer deeper levels of monitoring and controls, you may want to purchase one of the specialized parental controls software programs. These applications can run anywhere from $20-$100, with most of them falling somewhere in the middle. $50 seems to be an average price.

Parental Controls software can definitely help make your job easier when it comes to protecting your child's online experience, but no software, no matter how good, can replace talking to your kids about safe Internet behavior and practices.

Want to read more about selecting the right parental controls software? Check out these resources:

• 2008 Internet Software reviews
• 12 Tools to Keep Kids Safe Online by Neil J Rubenking
• Parental Controls & Online Child Protection: A Survey of Tools & Methods by Adam Thierer

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