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Security and the Family Internet Experience
By Scott Lindsay '

The Internet is all about freedom. It is the freedom to explore, the freedom to learn new things and the freedom to pursue a business that can make money.

There are certain countries that restrict the freedom of their citizens when it comes to online exploration, but the free exchange of information and ideas is what makes using the Internet so appealing to many.

According to each individual's way of thinking there are a lot of strange websites out there. You can find websites that offend and may seem distasteful to your senses. Yet, you will also find many more that will connect with your interests and values.

Some, who may have never used an online entry point, may view the web as a place where evil can be found on every site. If you use a search engine you can quickly find an abundance of sites that will easily offend, but the truth is the Internet is simply a tool that can be useful for either positive or negative purposes.

If you go online in a deliberate attempt to find something negative you will find it, but the opposite is also true. The same logic can be applied to television. The form of media can contain material that is positive and negative depending on your point of view. That doesn't make the television good or bad - it simply causes the user to exercise caution when using this form of media.

When parents discover objectionable programming they can use available technology to block certain channels and use other technology to block any shows with a rating they don't want their family to see.

In the same way there is a form of security for parents when it comes to allowing their children to gain access to the web. In some cases parents who supervise their children online do not have much problem of their children encountering site content that may be objectionable. They may also be able to divert online messaging that could pose potential dangers to their child.

There are programs like Net Nanny that allow parents to gain remarkable control over what their children are allowed to see online. They can monitor where they have been, and they can do this without the need to stay with their child every moment they are online.

A program called Covenant Eyes can also help individuals who may be attracted to material on sites that may not be healthy to an ongoing relationship or finances. This site can help by providing an accountability partner with a report about sites that have been visited. The idea is to help an individual who may have a gambling addiction or may be prone to visit sites with pornography to kick the habit using a trusted friend who can monitor online activity and gently confront the problem.

These and similar programs provide family security online because sometimes we can stumble into a place we know we shouldn't be and decide to stay too long.

The Internet is not evil, but we could all use a little help in making sure we are comfortable in using it wisely.

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