One child comes to you with a question about his schoolwork that requires research. Another wants to dig deep, explore, and learn more about the fascinating tidbit in science that intrigued her. Your family is working together to complete a DIY Project and run into a snag. Your tweens are playing games, and your teens are social media junkies updating statuses and sending tweets. Where do we turn, or what is our outlet??? In this day and age, the computer and the contents of cyberspace.
Technology is such a powerful, useful, wonderful tool, but therein, also lies Internet dangers. As parents, we have the responsibility of protecting our children. Action Alert is a company dedicated to Internet safety. It offers downloadable software comprised of 8 Internet safety tools.
In the Activity Notification Alerts, you can set Action Alert to notify you via email or text message when questionable key words or phrases are being used by your child. Then, Access Control allows a parent, even remotely, to disable the computer. The use of Site Blocking keeps children away from sites known to be inappropriate, dangerous, or hosting spyware. Content Filtering gives the parent the option to have the computer operate in a safe, allowed sites only mode or filter searches to show only family friendly results. Action Alert features Activity Video Recording, Keystroke Logging, and Chat and Email Logging. An impressive 60 hours of all computer activity (web activity, chat sessions, games, and homework sessions, everything online and off) is recorded. The parent is able to scan the video or type in a key word or phrase to jump to any point in the video. Finally, with Time Allowance, Action Alert can set time limits or daily times when the computer can be used.
For my family, this product isn't currently necessary. Due to the young age of my children, my husband and I are proactive parents both limiting and directly supervising their computer usage. Currently, they are all working through an online phonics/reading program that we love! The site is kid-safe and age-appropriate. I log them in and stay in the room while they maneuver through the site. On rare occasions they are able to play other games or visit a site, but again, they have been pre-screened by a parent. Although as my children age and are allowed more autonomy on the computer, I do see the value in having a safety program in place.
Sail on over to the TOS Crew Blog and read what my crew mates are saying about Action Alert.
(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary Maximum Protection Version in exchange for my honest opinion.)
1 comment:
Thank you for entering my "bag of books giveaway" contest and for helping spread the word. Blessings!
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