Parental Controls and ISPs

Parental control filters sometimes come with your ISP

You may already be able to access some parental controls through your Internet service provider. Elsa Wensel and Robert Vamosi of CNET recommend, "When choosing an Internet service provider, consider whether it provides built-in parental controls or Web filtering tools."

AOL, for example, has a Safety and Security Center that offers parental controls in addition to virus protection and identity protection. Each child can select a screen name, which must be entered each time he or she uses a program that accesses the Internet. Parents can select from four control levels for each screen name, based on a child's age or maturity level. These controls range from blocking most Internet content to blocking only sites designated for those 18 and older. AOL Parental Controls aren't as sophisticated as standalone software, although parents can create custom controls such as an online time limit and a regular report of Internet activity. AOL can block but not filter instant messenger content, and editors at CNET call the process "buggy."

The current trend is away from Internet providers offering their own programs. More ISPs now partner with security software companies to provide their subscribers with parental controls and other functions. Sometimes these are included as part of the service, but sometimes there is an extra charge -- especially if you want added control or protection. For instance, Earthlink's Protection Control Center is powered by antivirus programmer Kaspersky, and it's included for subscribers. For an added fee (*Est. $7 per month), Earthlink customers can access Norton 360 Online, which has an optional parental control package. Similarly, Comcast subscribers now get Norton's Internet Security Suite (replacing McAfee's Security Suite), as well as access to OnlineFamily.Norton. See our report on Internet security suites for more information on these programs.