| Cyber Patrol Cyber Patrol’s time management feature offers much enhanced control over Net access Like Net Nanny, Cyber Patrol works with lists that detail either what is or what is not approved for viewing, and offers the parent the options of downloading regularly updated lists or manually adding specific names to the blacklist. The program is easy to install, but because it has more options and features it is slightly more complex in use than Net Nanny. Cyber Patrol uses four broad categories for its lists - IRC Chat, Web and FTP sites, newsgroups, and Windows applications. Each has its own encrypted CyberNOT file that can be downloaded as updates from the program’s home site, and each can be added to with ease if there’s a particular site or newsgroup that the parent discovers is not yet covered by the standard list. A useful option available through the Site Control menu is a domain name filter. This enables the user to specify two or three letter sections of domain names and block access to any domain that uses them. The filter works only on complete sections of domains, so it’s only possible to block, say, all domains that end in ‘.com’, but this is still useful if your child is supposed to be using only ‘.edu’ sites for a homework session. One important feature has been added, however, that Net Nanny can’t rival - time management. By specifying up to 16 Windows applications in the relevant list,
parents can ensure that time The parent need only specify the browsers, news readers, chat programs and so on that form the applications list, and these will be monitored by time management. Of course, the kids could simply install another version in a different location, but this would still fall foul of the sweeping total online time restriction. This is a killer of a feature, and broadens Cyber Patrol’s appeal beyond simple content filtering to general Net access management. As you’d expect, there is a password protection feature for access to the main program interface, and this stops the kids from messing with security settings. The main Headquarters password is for the head of the household, but there’s also a Deputy password that can be given to other adults who want to bypass the program’s restrictions. In all, Cyber Patrol has a great deal more functionality and power than Net Nanny, due mainly to its use of time management and support for Net standards such as the PICS rating system. It’s a little more complex to use, and the more button-heavy interface might put off some novice parent computer users, but as a family Internet overseer, it’s hard to beat.
WebChaperone One of WebChaperone’s child-friendly warning pages This package is a bit different from the other two on review, in that it concentrates solely on Web access, and has no filtering options for newsgroups or chat services. As such, it is a lot less useful than either Net Nanny or Cyber Patrol, but has been included because it does not depend on lists, using instead what it calls ‘iCRT’ technology to scan Web pages for unsuitable content as they are downloaded. Extremely easy to install, WebChaperone sits in your Windows 95
system tray and monitors Web access as and when it happens. If a page is detected that the
program thinks is unsuitable, it will place a warning page in your browser. These pages
are designed to be kiddie-friendly, and have Unique among the three programs tested here, WebChaperone also enables the user to set different levels of filtering for children, pre-teens, teenagers, and adults. This is an easy to set up option, and defaults to the most strict filtering unless the user logs in using a password. In this way, the adult can decide that a teenager should be subject to medium or minimum security while slapping a D-notice on any children in the household With the easiest setup options and hassle-free differentiation between users of varying ages, WebChaperone has enough going for it to make it an alternative, but only for those who can otherwise restrict access to newsgroups and chat services. There’s no way to block access to the binary newsgroups that contain so much hardcore porn, and no option to stop kids from giving out your address and other personal details online, so this is probably not the ideal program for complete peace of mind.
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management controls
restrict access to these programs during certain hours of the day. It is also possible to
set maximum online access times for each day and for the weekly total. In this way, a
parent who goes off for a couple of days can ensure that the young ‘uns are unable to
spend more than an hour or two online. More importantly for those nightmare phone bills,
the time management feature can block Net access until after the 6pm cut-off time for
expensive daytime calls.
messages
that warn about ‘Icky stuff’ on this page before offering a link to a list of
suitable child-oriented Web sites.