parenting

AutoPilot and more in Bitdefender Total Security 2012

The bottom line: Bitdefender Total Security 2012 makes a convincing pitch as an easy Windows security option. It's got an enormous selection of features, but the best one means you'll never see another security notification again unless you get infected. However, the fact that you can get the same feature even in Bitdefender's basic antivirus suite means you ought to think twice before getting this superhigh-end version.

Review: Bitdefender Total Security 2012 presents a convincing alternative to its better-known competitors. It's a strong program, with all the major tools that users expect, and some additional useful … Read more

D-Link routers get OpenDNS-based Web filtering

D-Link announced today the integration of OpenDNS technology into its select routers, which will enable you to block unsafe and inappropriate Web content, such as adult and phishing Web sites.

The company says that with OpenDNS technology, D-Link routers offer consumers the ability to mange content filtering and security services from anywhere over the Internet.

The new feature is called OpenDNS parental controls. It divides Web sites into more than 50 categories, allowing parents to choose their desired filtering level from "high" to "minimal." This can also be further customized to include certain categories of sites … Read more

All about baby

Pregnancy is an exciting time, and it gives a person a lot to think about. What expectant parent isn't curious about their fetus' development, or counting down the days until her or his arrival? ParentWeb Baby Tracker lets parents track their child's development both in the womb and after they've entered the world, and also gives users access to the content on ParentWeb.com.

The program's interface has several components. There's a widget at the top of the screen that tracks either the length of your pregnancy or how old your baby is, depending on … Read more

How to protect kids from mature Android apps

Google has been requiring developers to provide content ratings on all apps in the Android Market since last November. With the latest update to the Android Market app, you can now set restrictions on what apps can be downloaded. Here's how to set a secure PIN and limit what your kids can download:

Step 1: Launch the Android Market app, hit the Menu Key and select "Settings."

Step 2: Tap the drop-down arrow to display the content rating list.

Step 3: Select the highest maturity level you want to allow the Android Market to download, then hit … Read more

SocialGuard protects kids on Facebook

SocialGuard is part of a relatively new and burgeoning field of desktop apps that look to address growing parental concerns about how to keep children safe online in the Facebook age. It does a remarkable job of balancing cost with useful tools, although parents should be warned: SocialGuard is designed to make kids safer while encouraging communication, not impose draconian restrictions on your children's Facebook activity.

From the makers of the ZoneAlarm firewall, SocialGuard is a desktop client with deep hooks into Facebook. The company wants parents to use it as a starting place to encourage communication about online … Read more

How to use iOS parental controls

A $1,400 iTunes bill racked up by an 8-year-old buying Smurfberries in Smurfs' Village might be enough for parents to forbid their kids from using mobile technology. Since this case--and several others like it--resulted in people receiving ridiculous bills, the Federal Trade Commission announced it will be reviewing Apple's in-app purchasing policies.

With the newly released iOS 4.3, Apple swiftly updated its policy, prompting users to enter a password each time something like a level-up, Tap Tap Revenge song, or $20 barrel of stars in Tap Zoo is purchased. Previously, Apple gave users a 15-minute window for … Read more

How to enable iOS parental controls

Sharon Vaknin shows you how to set up parental controls in iOS.

Trend Micro gives parents an Online Guardian

Trend Micro has created an Online Guardian that it says will help parents monitor and control the online activity of their children. Debuting today, Online Guardian for Parents continues the revamp of Trend Micro's home consumer security line that started last fall with its cloud-based Titanium security suites. In fact, Online Guardian leverages the same cloud-based, proprietary database called Smart Protection to extend rapid-response protection to Web site monitoring.

In addition to standard parental control features such as URL filtering, instant message monitoring, identity data protection, an online time manager, a Web-based control panel, and per-child user profiles, Online … Read more

ScreenRetriever helps monitor kids' online activity (podcast)

When my kids were teens, my wife and I would occasionally walk into the room when they were on the Internet. We wouldn't stand there for long, but we would glance at the screen to make sure what they were doing was appropriate. The rule was that they had to use a computer in a public area of the house with the door open. We didn't spy on them, but we did check in now and then.

Now there's a software program that will let you do the same thing but from a different part of the … Read more