Description:
We all know the Internet is coated with so much smut that it makes Larry Flynt look almost virginal. In reality, the majority of the nastiness online is buried deeper than it used to be. But if you have kids and they have access to the Net, it's still a good idea to take some precautionary steps, and one of the most important is using blocking software such as Net Nanny. Version 4.0 of this program offers an easier interface than previous versions, and, as with previous iterations, it lets users view and edit its questionable sites list. This affordable program keeps tabs on what comes into your system from the at-large Web, filtering out pornographic sites and images as well as questionable words in chatrooms and newsgroups, hate literature, and even bomb recipes. It's not a catchall solution--even with the most stringent of settings, some PG-13 and above material trickled through. And it doesn't take the place of parental guidance and education. But it's a well-designed program that makes it easy for parents to keep tabs on the online activities of their children, in addition to protecting personal information and limiting users' online time. Its thick manual walks parents through the steps for configuring the software and also offers a Safe Family Contract, encouraging parents to talk to their kids about why they're using Net Nanny. Net Nanny 4.0 installs easily and begins running automatically after a system reboot. The administrator sets up accounts (up to 12) for each family member with a specific login name and password, and can easily choose the filtering settings for each user, as well as scheduling the days and times that each user is allowed online. Sites can be blocked for individual users, or alternatively the administrator can create a list of only the sites he or she wants individual users to visit. Net Nanny can be set to automatically update its database of filtered Web sites (the list of blocked sites and phrases also makes nice shock-value reading), so as new sites are added to the list, the software is kept up to date. The administrator can also check out the log file, which tracks the sites, newsgroups, and chatrooms that users visit, and logs information sent and received. The admin password is required to deactivate Net Nanny, view the log file, affect any changes to other users' settings, and even to uninstall the software. While no filtering software is perfect--like other filtering software, Net Nanny sometimes blocks out the good with the bad, such as artistic sites--it's a flexible program that lets an administrator create unique sets of online user rules with an easy-to-use interface. --J. Curtis
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