Question for folks who know @ surfing incognito and parental controls . . .

[Marylou]

My children are not on the Internet too much yet, but I'm trying to stay ahead of the game and know what I'm doing!

 

For you computer geeks, or just those of you with experience . . . How does it work when someone surfs Incognito or In Private? Is there still a way to check the History?

[celticmom]

If you definitely want to know everything that goes on on a given computer a keylogger would probably be your best bet.

[Guest inoubliable]

http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=95464

 

This should help answer your question on how an incognito session works.

[Marylou]

Thanks. I know how the session works. I guess I've read about people checking their kids' browsing histories to see where they've been, but with just a couple of clicks, a child can be browsing incognito and there's no trace of activity. I'll look into the keylogger.

[Guest inoubliable]

Ah. Well then I guess you already knew. ;)

[Marylou]

Ah. Well then I guess you already knew. ;)

 

 

:001_huh: No. I didn't know.

 

After reading the nook thread, I want to understand more about internet security and oversight.

 

Maybe I should have phrased my question, "What's the big deal with checking browsing history when the surfer can just go incognito (or whatever it's called on other browsers)".

 

I was wondering if there was a parental control I didn't know about.

 

I've heard of keyloggers, but always thought of them as for folks who want to see if they had a cheating spouse or something like that!

[Guest inoubliable]

 

 

I was wondering if there was a parental control I didn't know about.

 

 

 

 

No. It's just called parenting. ;)

[Marylou]

:001_rolleyes:

[Twinmom]

Oh, no...another thing to worry about online! Ugh.

 

[kewb]

If your kid has an ipod there are parental settings for the app store.

[Mom-ninja.]

I didn't know about Incognito. Geesh. I'm out of the loop.

 

I'm also looking into parental controls as I'm starting to leave my kids at home alone, and I don't want them to have total free access to everything online.

[Dahliarw]

Windows 7 has its own parental controls. You have to have a seperate logon to your computer for your child (we password our accounts, but not the kids). Then I set it most restrictive, and I can one by one allow sites that arent' automatically unblocked. It's really easy to set up, you get sent a weekly email with browsing history, and it still blocks sites if the child uses the in private browsing (though mine don't have any idea that exists). http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/parental-controls

 

Other than that, keep the computer and such in a public area of your house where you can come look over their shoulder!

[Marylou]

Windows 7 has its own parental controls. You have to have a seperate logon to your computer for your child (we password our accounts, but not the kids). Then I set it most restrictive, and I can one by one allow sites that arent' automatically unblocked. It's really easy to set up, you get sent a weekly email with browsing history, and it still blocks sites if the child uses the in private browsing (though mine don't have any idea that exists). http://windows.micro...rental-controls

 

Other than that, keep the computer and such in a public area of your house where you can come look over their shoulder!

 

 

Thank you! I will check that out tonight.

 

Our computer is in a very public area (dinette right near kitchen & family room), but sometimes I have to cook and wash dishes or check on my elderly FIL! They are 99% of the time trustworthy. One time they asked permission to play pbskids but then they ended up on Amazon looking for Nike shirts or something else innocent. They apologized for disobeying and they have been truthful since. So right now they are at the trust but verify age.

 

The other thread made me reassess what I'm doing to be proactive.

[Marylou]

I didn't know about Incognito. Geesh. I'm out of the loop.

 

I'm also looking into parental controls as I'm starting to leave my kids at home alone, and I don't want them to have total free access to everything online.

 

 

 

Yes, it's good that KK put the link so that others know, too.

 

I love using Incognito when I don't want pics of what I've been shopping for popping up on FB or other sites. It's hard to hide birthday present ideas when there are pics right there on the screen. Frustrating!

[nmoira]

Yes, it's good that KK put the link so that others know, too.

 

I love using Incognito when I don't want pics of what I've been shopping for popping up on FB or other sites. It's hard to hide birthday present ideas when there are pics right there on the screen. Frustrating!

 

I use incognito when I need to look up information related to something like Justin Bieber.* I'm embarrassed at the thought of Google's "me" construct knowing something like that about the real me.

 

* In my defense, I'd seen a funny shot of his bodyguard "holding" him back from lunging at some paparazzi. I'll embed it in a couple minutes after I go incognito.

 

Here is it. It reminded me of Dorf...

 

 

[Guest inoubliable]

How many pairs of pants is he wearing?

 

And is he being put in a carseat??

[goldberry]

There are even sites out there called "proxy" servers, made specifically for avoiding internet controls.

 

We have Webwatcher, which is a keylogger and recording program. We also have "proxy" set up as an alert word.

 

Yep, it's rough out there!

[beaners]

How many pairs of pants is he wearing?

 

And is he being put in a carseat??

 

 

I'm more concerned that I might be seeing his underwear. I'm gagging over here like a cat with a hairball.

[Mom-ninja.]

There are even sites out there called "proxy" servers, made specifically for avoiding internet controls.

 

We have Webwatcher, which is a keylogger and recording program. We also have "proxy" set up as an alert word.

 

Yep, it's rough out there!

 

Sigh. Okay. I clearly have a lot to read and learn. You know it's unfair being a parent now. My parents and grandparents didn't have to learn about "proxy" servers and incognito browsers. Good grief.

[Marylou]

Sigh. Okay. I clearly have a lot to read and learn. You know it's unfair being a parent now. My parents and grandparents didn't have to learn about "proxy" servers and incognito browsers. Good grief.

 

 

 

But when you put your head on the pillow at night knowing that you are being a good parent, it will all be worth it!

 

Thanks for the laughs ladies!

[TechWife]

Just be aware that your child can also download a keystroke logger and get your passwords to everything, including your keystroke logger. Nothing is foolproof. Talk, talk, talk and talk some more.

[nmoira]

Web usage can be logged by a router. This has the advantage of being completely transparent to the user.

[Marylou]

Just be aware that your child can also download a keystroke logger and get your passwords to everything, including your keystroke logger. Nothing is foolproof. Talk, talk, talk and talk some more.

 

 

Did you see that, Kleine Hexe :leaving:

[Dahliarw]

Just be aware that your child can also download a keystroke logger and get your passwords to everything, including your keystroke logger. Nothing is foolproof. Talk, talk, talk and talk some more.

 

My kids don't have permissions to access sites where they could download that, nor administrator priviledges to install it (requires a password to install things on our computer).

[kewb]

I discussed this with dh last night. He is turning on the controls ont he firewall instead of the individual laptops.

[TechWife]

 

My kids don't have permissions to access sites where they could download that, nor administrator priviledges to install it (requires a password to install things on our computer).

 

 

Are you sure? You might be surprised one day.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

You can find a way to bypass just about any security option the average home user might install. The best security is talking with your kids about the ins and outs of the internet. Also talk to them about what to do if they end up at a website they didn't intend to find.

 

Incognito surfing is nice for gift shopping too if you share a computer. However it is possible to check what someone is surfing under private browsing. It just takes more steps.

[Marylou]

 

Incognito surfing is nice for gift shopping too if you share a computer. However it is possible to check what someone is surfing under private browsing. It just takes more steps.

 

 

I would like to know the steps!

[nmoira]

[/color]

I would like to know the steps!

 

 

http://www.howtogeek...de-url-logging/

 

A proxy server can still be utilized, but can be blocked (on the router) on a case-by-case basis or from readily available lists of the most common proxy servers. A determined person could still find a way, but if that's happening, you've got a bigger problem on your hands than internet access.

 

I'm not advocating the above, I'm just saying it's an option. I'm uncomfortable with the idea of spying on teenagers who might have legitimate questions they'd like to explore. I'd have been uncomfortable if (had there been an equivalent at the time) my parents found out I'd been visiting something as relatively tame as Ask Alice, a site I'd certainly want my kids to go if they have questions about almost anything, and they're not ready to talk.

[Marylou]

Thanks!

 

My kids are pre-teen and we have great communication.

 

Many posters have mentioned talking with our kids. So true. I am really good at that, and they are too.

 

But I know I can have good communication with them and poor computer security skills! You guys have helped me with the latter and I appreciate it very much!

[Mom-ninja.]

At this point I'm more concerned with preventing my kids from seeing something they shouldn't see. So keystroke logger is not going to do that. I don't want sites to pop that could cause damage. Some things you cannot unsee and there's a lot of it out there.

[Marylou]

At this point I'm more concerned with preventing my kids from seeing something they shouldn't see. So keystroke logger is not going to do that. I don't want sites to pop that could cause damage. Some things you cannot unsee and there's a lot of it out there.

 

 

True.

 

If I could have a superpower I think it would be to unsee what I've seen (not necessarily online).

 

Or unhear what I've heard.

 

Or unsay what I've said!

 

Don't get discouraged!

[Incognito]

My ears are burning! But I don't know how to surf... :)

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

At this point I'm more concerned with preventing my kids from seeing something they shouldn't see. So keystroke logger is not going to do that. I don't want sites to pop that could cause damage. Some things you cannot unsee and there's a lot of it out there.

 

 

At some point this is going to happen. (If your kids get on the internet) My suggestion is to discuss with your kids that if something pops up like that to shut it down and come tell you it popped up. I firmly believe that I will cause more damage if I "freak out" over something they accidentally saw, than if I just calmly tell them there is questionable content on the internet and how to avoid it in the future. Often our overreactions are more damaging than whatever popped up for the couple of seconds it took to close out the window.

 

 

If they are so young they can't manage to close out the pop up, then likely you are surfing with them.