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.com recommend, "When choosing an Internet service provider, consider whether it provides built-in parental controls or Web filtering tools." AOL, for example, prompts parents to create individual screen names for each child. That screen name then becomes the child's personal e-mail address as well. Parents can select from four control levels for each child based on age or maturity level. These controls range from blocking most Internet content to blocking only sites designated for those 18 and over.

AOL has a Safety and Security Center that offers parental controls in addition to virus protection and identity protection. AOL's 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. The latest AOL browser works as a skin for Microsoft's Internet Explorer, so the hole that previously could allow children to open IE and bypass AOL parental control no longer exists. That does leave the question of whether a child can download a separate browser such as Opera or Firefox and access unfiltered content, but GetNetWise.org explains in their review of AOL 9.0 Optimized, "It is not technically possible to leave the service's approved-content area."

MSN also has a number of parental controls available for subscribers. MSN will block HTML images rather than the whole message as with AOL parental controls. MSN has added a unique feature that allows parents to grant override permission via a checkbox or replying to e-mail. This means a child could e-mail you at work and ask permission to visit a specific blocked site. Weekly activity reports are available through MSN, a feature that AOL currently does not implement. MSN doesn't filter e-mail, allow for scheduling or filter chat. You can, however, create a separate setting for each user.

EarthLink offers a child-safe browser that includes 15,000 approved sites. Parents can use an approved-senders list so that kids only get e-mail from people you know. Parents have the option of reviewing e-mail from contacts not on the approved list. They can then delete the e-mail or unlock it so it can be sent to the child. The same control is available for instant messaging contacts, and parents can set online time limits.

McAfee Security Suite is available free to Comcast subscribers. Parental controls in the package include time limits, website blocking and image analysis (which "allows parents to block images not suitable for young eyes, even on particular web sites which may not be blocked"). However, it's not clear from Comcast's website whether this is the latest version of McAfee Security Suite, and the earlier version (McAfee Internet Security Suite 2007) earned especially poor reviews from critics and users. See our report on Internet security suites for more information.