Vista Parental Controls: A Step in the Right Direction

With the launch of Windows Vista, Microsoft has taken a nice step towards helping parents regain control of what their kids are exposed to during their time in front of the computer – whether that’s blocking porn, gambling or other types of inappropriate material.  Windows Vista Parental Controls allow parents to set up an individual account for each user- customizing what that person has access to.

The Good:

• It’s already on your computer, which makes it free (always a plus!)
• At the most basic level, it’s not difficult to set up.
• Allowing parents to control, on a per user basis, the types of websites, games and downloads that their children are allowed to see helps give parents some much needed piece of mind when it comes to computer usage.
• Windows Parental Controls also allow parents to determine when a user can use the Internet – blocking complete access to the Internet between the hours of 11:00 pm and 7:00 am is a great way to encourage responsible use of the Internet. 

The Bad:

• Not all programs are compatible with Windows Parental Controls, which can sometimes hinder the effectiveness of the program. 
• While setting up individual profiles can be a good thing, it also means that each person MUST remember to log off after each session on the computer and that each person MUST safeguard their password, etc. – something to think about when you’re dealing with intrepid young minds.
• Last but not least, no matter how you slice it, beyond the most basic level, it takes work and it takes time.

The Final Verdict:

While Vista’s Parental Control is not without its flaws, the staff at Block-Porn.Org commends Microsoft for taking a very important step in the right direction.  Windows Vista’s Parental Controls are a great start to a diligent Internet monitoring program – For parents with very young children, it can be an acceptable solution to keeping the Internet safe.

However, once your kids get older (read: 11+) it just won’t be enough and if you’re a busy parent, It can also get to be a hassle to constantly update and monitor the Parental Control settings. 

In talking with parents, we’ve found that after a couple of months, a large percentage of them simply give up trying to stay on top of it.  So when you’re ready for something that takes most of the work out of your hands,  look into a fully managed, password free, filtering service like My Internet Doorman.  It’s not only one of the most effective, but also incredibly affordable.

Please check back over the next few days to read “Vista Parental Controls- A How To.” for instructions on installing Vista Parental Controls on your PC.