“The Web: Still a Vast Pornographic Wasteland”

On September 19, 2008, The Wall Street Journal ran an article:
http://blogs.wsj.com/biztech/2008/09/19/the-web-still-a-vast-pornographic-wasteland/

They looked at the fact that while more and more businesses were moving online, the Web remains dominated by sites dedicated to more prurient interests.

According to the article, Seven of the 10 fastest-growing categories between 2006 and 2007 were sites that might make you want to rip out your connection to the internet:

• Anorexia and bulimia (instructions on how to do it) grew 469%
• Proxy Anonymizers (Sites that hide somebody’s identity online) +219%
• Violence +126%
• Computer hacking +88%
• Racism +71%
• Malicious software code +70%
• Drugs +62%

What’s just as interesting is the change in behavior fostered by the easy access to said material. While obviously many are rejoicing in their new found sources, at My Internet Doorman, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in adults looking to self censor and block porn sites – over 25% of our clients are now adults looking to “protect” themselves from access to internet porn.
 
It seems that a growing number of adults are finding that their need for internet porn is becoming an obsession; many otherwise dedicated husbands find themselves waiting for their wives to head out on an errand so they can get their fix, others simply ignore their families, spending an inordinate amount of time in their “home office”. For most, this is not done deliberately and some have gone as far as to consider it an addiction. – Actor David Duchovny recently entered rehab because of a self proclaimed porn addiction.
 
Bottom line; if you find yourself caught up surfing the more prurient parts of the web more often than you would like, you owe it to yourself and to your family to visit www.MyInternetDoorman.org for helpful tips on how to avoid the porn trap and www.MyInternetDdoorman.com for the only Fully Managed Internet Filtering Service.

IE8 offers a browser privacy mode – nicknamed “porn mode” by some

In their Internet Explorer Weblog, Microsoft writes:

“…Privacy has two aspects: disclosure and choice. Disclosure means informing users in plain language about the data collected about them and how it’s used. Choice means putting users in control of their data and giving them tools to protect it.”

In essence, IE8’s “privacy Mode”, enables you to take your web browsing “off the record” so to speak. While they’ve added a number of new “features”, the one we’re interested in exploring is the following one, mentioned on Microsoft’s Weblog: InPrivate™ Browsing lets you control whether or not IE saves your browsing history, cookies, and other data.

While I’m sure Microsoft developed the feature with the best of intentions, in essence, Internet Explorer 8’s InPrivate Browsing makes hiding your web activity easy by not storing history, cookies, temporary Internet files, or other data – all the traditional means used to keep tabs on your kids surfing!

According to Microsoft’s article, while InPrivate Browsing is active, the following takes place:

• New cookies are not stored
• All new cookies become “session” cookies
• Existing cookies can still be read
• The new DOM storage feature behaves the same way
• New history entries will not be recorded
• New temporary Internet files will be deleted after the Private Browsing window is closed
• Form data is not stored
• Passwords are not stored
• Addresses typed into the address bar are not stored
• Queries entered into the search box are not stored
• Visited links will not be stored

Wow, talk about stealth Mode!

Again, before you condemn Microsoft, remember, rival browsers like Firefox and Safari either already have those features or are in the process of adding them.

But once again, it’s best to heed the old proverb “Don’t curse the darkness – light a candle.”

1. Make sure your family computer is out in the open where the family can help keep each other honest
2. Have family discussions about what is and is not appropriate material for your household
3. Last but not least, protect your family from temptation and accidental exposure to porn and other inappropriate material on the web by keeping it out of your home in the first place using a fully managed internet filtering service or a filtered ISP.

Gambling, IMing and Porn – Oh My!

A growing number of children & teens with computers are left alone with easy access to a cornucopia of internet vices!

The internet is, to say the least, one of the greatest informational resources available and is as essential today to our children’s education as the library was to our generation; inextricably tied to their future, careers and in truth, their very lives.

Unfortunately, as with most things, there is a dark side, and the amount of harmful material has been growing rapidly – an amazing source of revenue for some, it’s no wonder that an estimated 266 new porn sites are launched each day!

In 2007 the fastest growing website was a brand new porn site which logged 4,958,285 visitors during the month of December.  The 4^th fastest growing site was also a porn site that grew by 14,177% to 10,280,138 visitors in December, 2007!

As staggering as these numbers are, the bigger problem is the ever widening technological gap between parent and child and the lack of awareness this creates.

You might think that your child is too young and you really don’t have to worry about this issue, or your child is a “good kid”, or you think that you only have to worry about boys, or perhaps, you think it’s just a normal part of growing up; you know, “boys will be boys”.

In that case, you would probably be surprised to learn that the average age of first exposure is 11, with children as young as 8 included in that average. That first exposure is very often by accident. The vast majority of these links simply asks them to confirm that they are “over 18″ and then take them straight to the inappropriate material! Once exposed, it becomes a slippery slope… Pandora’s Box has been opened.

You might also be surprised to learn that 80% of 15-17 year olds have had multiple hard-core exposures or that 1 in 3 visitors to porn sites are female!

But most surprising of all is the material that is within a clicks reach of our children. We’re not talking about the nude pictures found in the Playboy magazine of our youth; we’re talking about full motion video and photographs of hard-core sex. Let’s assume for a moment that you think that is still OK, simply a “sign of the times”, then look a little further and you’ll find videos of acts so depraved, degrading and disgusting, that it makes you wonder how it could even be considered “sex”.

As if that wasn’t enough, add gambling, anonymous IM “friends” and chat rooms to the mix and you have a situation where any caring parent would want to yank this pipeline of filth from their home.

But that is not the answer, the good that can come from this very same pipeline far outweighs the bad. You simply need to do what parents have always done; protect your children from the bad while encouraging them to explore the good!

A good number of on-line resources exist to help you develop safe internet rules for your home and to help you talk with your kids about what is “out there”. Almost all internet providers offer some kind of free parental controls – learn to use them properly, monitor them closely and you’ll be taking the first steps towards protecting your kids.

A variety of Internet filtering and monitoring software packages are available to help you block porn and more– as with the parental controls, learn to use them properly, keep them updated and monitor them closely and you’ll be taking the next step towards protecting your family.

Two options exist for those parents that are either technologically challenged, don’t have the time required to stay on top of the filtering and monitoring process and/or whose kids have found a way around their various attempts at controlling their children’s internet activity.

The first is to go with one of several specialty regional ISPs which offer pre-filtered internet to your home. While some folks find them too restrictive, these companies do a great job of stopping inappropriate material from reaching your children.

One of the newest tools available to you is internet filtering as a managed service.  In essence, the folks behind My Internet Doorman take over the task of filtering and monitoring the internet for you, while allowing you to continue using your existing internet service provider (ISP) – you pay a small monthly fee and they take care of the rest.

So arm yourselves with the information, tactics and tools you need to protect your children and allow them to safely enjoy the internet and all the wonders it has to offer!

For more information on the dangers of internet porn and what you can do, visit: www.myinternetdoorman.org a free, resource for concerned parents & guardians.

For more information on the latest service designed to help you take back control of the internet, visit: www.myinternetdoorman.com

 

My Internet Doorman

The first company to offer a Fully Managed Internet Filtering Service™!  You continue using your existing internet service provider (ISP) and we take over the task of filtering and monitoring the internet for you!

The internet is, to say the least, one of the greatest informational resources available and is as essential today to our children’s education as the library was to our generation; inextricably tied to their future, careers and in truth, their very lives. Unfortunately, as with most things, there is a dark side, and the amount of harmful material has been growing rapidly – an amazing source of revenue for some, it’s no wonder that an estimated 266 new porn sites are launched each day!

As if that wasn’t enough, add gambling, racial, drug, cheating sites, anonymous IM “friends” and chat rooms to the mix and you have a situation where any caring parent would want to yank this pipeline of filth from their home. But that is not the answer, the good that can come from this very same pipeline far outweighs the bad. 

You simply need to do what parents have always done;
protect your children from the bad.

In talking with other concerned parents, we found that it was easier said than done!

Oh, there are lots of tools available covering a wide range of prices from FREE to rather expensive hardware and software combinations, but they were either too simplistic or offered such a dizzying array of options that it would take a Rocket Scientist to configure and maintain them… there had to be a better way!

Borrowing from my previous experience in building a multi-million dollar USA based expense management outsourcing business; we decided that a Fully Managed Internet Filtering Service™ was the answer. There was no way to get around the complexity of properly filtering internet content, but there was no reason to throw that responsibility onto the shoulders of an already overworked and technologically challenged parent… We would do the work for them!

In order to make it affordable, it needed to be automated, but in order to make it effective, it needed a personal touch. Thus was born My Internet Doorman – an artificial intelligence engine tirelessly categorizes websites in real time while an expert human review team ensures that it all makes sense!

But that wasn’t enough; after all, one man’s swimsuit model is another man’s inappropriate material!

So we gave you full control… add or remove full categories or individual sites at will;
block access to Instant Messaging or let the kids use it from 6-7PM it’s all up to you -
We’re only a phone call or email away!

While both sides argue about whether or not pornography, gambling or any of the other sites are inherently bad, we’ve decided to act and have taken the position that as parents, we believe them to be inappropriate for our children.Thus, our mission is to empower parents, guardians and teachers with the tools they need to protect our children from exposure to said material while giving them the ability to take advantage of all the benefits the internet offers.

…Safe, Secure & Effortless!

They Need you now as much as they needed you then…

Our sons and daughters grow up quickly, and they might think that they can handle things on their own, but the reality is that they need you now as much as they did when they where infants… if not more so. When it comes to keeping them safe, you’ve always done everything in your power- from buckling them into car seats to carefully inspecting Halloween candy. But now that they’re teens, you may find yourself at a loss when it comes to their security. Compounding the problem is the fact that today’s teenagers live in a social climate that most adults find foreign at best; and downright scary at worst.

The internet dominates the modern teenage social scene, and that alone can keep parents up at night. How do you really know what’s going on in their lives, when they spend the majority of it in front of a computer screen? The answer is that there is no single answer. But by opening up the lines of communication with your child, you can create a dialogue that can help them see that all you want is for them to be safe and secure. And while you may not always see eye to eye, it is important for them to realize that you do have their best interest in mind. Here are some ideas for conversation starters that can help put you and your teen on the same page.

Let them know why you’re concerned

Nothing will inspire rebellion in a 15 year old faster than the words “because I said so.” You’ve raised them to be bright, independent thinkers- so let them know that there is a reason why you’re imposing certain rules. There are real statistics available about the dangers of meeting strangers on the internet, getting caught up on hate sites, or giving away personal information online. Sit down and share these with your teenager- not as a scare tactic, but as a way to back up your point.

Know the lingo

You can’t communicate with someone if you don’t speak the same language. Today’s teens have an entire lexicon of abbreviations, web slang, and words that seem so foreign they might as well be speaking Martian. And while you may know the difference between LOL and LMAO, deciphering a text message that includes “fosho” or “fina” may take a bit more practice. Taking the time to understand what they are saying- even if just to laugh with them about it- will let them know that you’re taking an active interest in their lives – check back with us next week for “A Parent’s Guide to Understanding Online Chat Acronyms & Smiley Faces”

Tell them that you plan to be involved

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If your son or daughter knows that you are planning on keeping an eye on what they’re doing, then they will be less likely to do something that they know you would disapprove of.  So rather than telling them that they can’t have a MySpace page (which would probably just cause them to set one up anyway, without you knowing about it or being able to monitor it) set one up with them. Know their password, and check in on it often. More than likely, all you will find is the usual teenage gossiping about school, friends and clothes. But if you do find something suspicious, act on it right away. Also, the MySpace home page allows parents to submit their child’s screen name, in order to help them keep an eye on underage users – for more information visit MySpace Tips for Parents.

These are just some ideas… the real key is to sit down with your teen and tailor a computer usage plan that addresses both your concerns and their needs. Remember, they need you now, whether they realize it or not.