¡¡¡¡New software allows parents to control virtually everything children do online. еÄÈí¼þÈø¸Ä¸µÃÒÔ¿ØÖƺ¢×ÓÔÚÍøÂçÉϵÄÒ»ÇÐÐÐΪ¡£

¡¡¡¡When Carolyn Gordon (not her real name), an administrative assistant from Tucson, Arizona, decided to install a program called EBlaster that let her secretly observe her 14ª²yearª²old daughter¡¯s instant messaging sessions, she didn¡¯t expect to learn anything alarming. She was surprised.

¡¡¡¡¡°It was a *rude awakening1,¡± the 42ª²yearª²old single mom says. ¡°I found out she was drinking and smoking pot2¡ªwhich I never would have suspected.¡± Gordon, who never told her daughter she had installed the monitoring software, says she was able to intervene early enough to curtail3 the problem and turn the eighth grader¡¯s behavior around.

¡¡¡¡A parent in Illinois reports that Internet monitoring software helped her stop some drinking parties and other illegal and potentially dangerous activities her teenage sons were planning with their friends. Perhaps most disturbing, a Tennessee father who monitored his 13ª²yearª²old daughter¡¯s online chat activity discovered that the girl was having a sexual relationship with her 37ª²yearª²old middle school teacher. Using records of chat sessions, he was able to gather enough evidence to convict the teacher of *statutory rape4.

¡¡¡¡It¡¯s stories like these, of course, that fuel the sales of parental control software. But as the technology of parental oversight has improved, parents face tougher questions about when responsible supervision turns into paranoia5 or an invasion of children¡¯s privacy. Five years ago, most parental control software was used only to filter the Web, blocking children from pornographic6 or violent sites. Now, parents can have godlike powers over their children¡¯s online lives¡ªviewing everything the kids do as they surf or chat, and immediately stopping any activity that the parents disapprove of.

¡¡¡¡Naturally, every parent wants their child to be safe, whether the child is online or on the school bus. And certainly if you suspect your child is involved in drugs, inappropriate relationships, or other dangerous situations, it¡¯s your responsibility to step in and intervene using whatever tools are necessary.

¡¡¡¡While discussions of online hazards and Internet monitoring often focus on blocking porn sites, the greatest danger may lurk in chat rooms and eª²mail inª²boxes. Many experts say that concerned parents should focus their attention on their kids¡¯ online communications. This is especially true for older kids who spend time instantª²messaging and hanging around in chat rooms, where none of the usual social controls are *in place7 and it¡¯s easy to hide behind a false identity.

¡¡¡¡Keep the family PC in an accessible part of the house where you can easily keep an eye on your children¡¯s activity, and limit the amount of time your kids spend online. Discuss some of the dangers of the Internet with older children, and make sure they understand that they should not provide personal information such as their name, address, or school to people they meet online, and they should never agree to meet an online acquaintance faceª²toª²face without your permission.

¡¡¡¡If your kids get involved in any situation online that makes them uncomfortable, encourage them to stop the communication immediately and tell you. And finally, don¡¯t be afraid to check in regularly. After all, if you don¡¯t know what your kids are doing online, how can you know if they¡¯re safe? -