choirfarm Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 This is a spinoff from the itouch thread. No one answered my question about how you filter or keep your children from accessing innappropriate material if they have itouch or iphone, etc. . Everyone talks about making sure the computer is in a family room and not in a bedroom so they don't access bad stuff. I'm starting to see kids with all of these portable devices with internet access and I'm wondering how parents keep up with this?? We followed all the rules about computer use and our son still manged at 11 to override parental controls and access borderline p---. Even though it was in the family room, had internet filters etc. So what about this?? I just wonder about all these kids with this 24/7 internet technology at their fingertips. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 :bigear: My 12yo is getting one for Christmas and I honestly never thought about this. I would like an answer to this if anyone has one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendi Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 You can set some restrictions on it, that can only be changed with a password. As far as I know, you can just turn Safari (the web browser) on or off; there are no filters. For movies, TV shows, music and podcasts that are purchased or rented on iTunes, you can set limits (PG, Clean, etc.) or turn off the ability to purchase these. Wendi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I was just asking my dh about this. It's really an open internet I guess if these aren't any filters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 My kids have had an Ipod touch for 2 years and it has never been an issue. The screen is really tiny and it is a bit of a pain to type in a site you want to visit. 99.9% of what my kids use it for is watching videos and listening to music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyinNNV Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 It IS a problem. At the last time we checked (summer) there were no filters. You could only turn the web on or off. Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Trust with things like that need to be earned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choirfarm Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 Maybe I don't understand what these things do. Can't you surf the web like you do on a regular computer?? My son, who has to have me in the room to access internet, otherwise the computer is locked with a key, uses the web for i-tunes for his IPOD and to look up scores on NFL or ESPN. But those last sites are what got him into trouble after visiting the swimsuit model videos. What would stop him from accessing that from one of those?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Yes, you can surf the web just like a regular computer. Here is an article about enabling restrictions: http://berna.typepad.com/iphoneandkids/2009/03/parental-controls-that-you-need-to-know-about-on-iphone-and-ipod-touch.html ...and links for "kid friendly" internet browsers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I posted in the other thread. Basically I wouldn't buy one for a child/teen that you either can't trust or aren't mature enough to police themselves. There are lots of nasty sites out there and many ways to access them (including the library!:tongue_smilie:) My 11yo can't have one because I don't want him having unlimited internet. My 16yo does because he is 18 months away from adulthood and he has to learn to police himself at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom3tn Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 My DS12 recently got an iPod Touch. I have enabled the restrictions so that I could turn off Safari and youtube, and restrict the content of the music, tv shows, and movies that will show up. I put in a password so that only I can change the restrictions. I also have to enter a password whenever he wants to purchase something from the itunes store or the app store, so he is not able to just buy anything at anytime. It's funny, though, because when I did this I discovered that he had already restricted the safari and youtube himself. I guess it didn't occur to him that his having set the password himself kind-of defeated the purpose... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momee Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Maybe I did it wrong but my ds could still access things like fbk after I went to the Mac store and got them to help me set an access code and disable the internet. Needless to say he no longer has it but for months I was functioning under the assumption he couldn't access stuff that he could. This guy's a tech wiz anyway but to the earlier mom who asked, I would say if you can't trust them on the regular internet without a filter, I wouldn't get an Ipod. Just me, just my experience, but it sooo wasn't worth $250 to constantly fight with my ds over what he could/could not do. Maturity issues loom large here, but progress is coming slowly. Evaluate carefully is the best advice I've got. We were VERY naive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom3tn Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I hope that my DS doesn't find a way to get on the net even though I've restricted it. I hope that he wouldn't even try. We haven't had any internet issues so far..... at least not that I know of. Their computer is in the living room for all to see and their computer time is restricted to one hour a day on school days. If he does anything with his iPod that he isn't supposed to do, it will be taken away from him indefinitely. He had to pay for it himself, with his own money, that he made from selling his own things; so hopefully he won't want to have wasted his own money and will take that into consideration before doing something that he shouldn't do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choirfarm Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 The child in question is 14 now and has just a regular IPOD. I have no intention of buying him an itouch or an iphone... he doesn't even have a regular cell phone. I guess I just don't understand the idea of letting any kid have one. I was naive as well. This child is VERY good. He does his schoolwork well and works hard and does things without being asked. He is very respectful. He can cook, does his own laundry etc. When my dad was alive, he was very impressed about how he filtered the tv and changed the channel during sports if a bad commercial came on. So it took me completely by surprise when I found out what he was doing on the internet. I completely trusted him. If this child can fall prey, then anyone can. I guess that is what worries me with EVERYONE not just children. Sex and porn is everywhere. It is just so easy to find. Then, I have enough trouble limiting myself here much less if I did facebook like everyone else does or had itouch. The internet is so prolific. I'm just musing I guess. As I said, I have no intention of buying him one, nor does he want one and he has matured a lot in the last year especially. He told me not to lift his restrictions and that he was really being sneaky. I just didn't know. But in less than 4 years, he will be out on his own. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 This became a big problem for us. The parental restrictions don't prevent kids from accessing the network. If they have an app (for instance a texting app) they can still use it even though safari is disabled. I wish I'd never bought the thing. It's been nothing but a hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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