What's New
Microsoft to offer free parental Internet monitoring
Posted on March 14, 2006

Microsoft, working with expert child organizations around the world is creating a no-cost, Web-based safety service called Windows Live Family Safety Settings that includes tips, guidance and age-appropriate recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Windows Live Family Safety Settings is a new, Web-based safety service, which will improve on current parental control technologies, empowering families with more complete safety functionality that's less about "control," and more about helping encourage open dialogues with parents and children about online safety, and helping enable anyone to protect their family and themselves from online content or communications they might find inappropriate. It will be a no-charge, global service available from Windows Live that anyone can use.

The market is revealing a different "Digital Divide," which is less between rural and urban access, and more between children and their parents. Teenagers would rather give up their TV than their computer, and research shows they use it in different ways from their parents, who primarily get on the computer to work or to do research. Kids also are getting on the computer at younger ages. Kids often are more savvy than their folks, and their parents might have no idea how their children are using the Internet.

Experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) say the Internet can be a valuable resource for parents and children to access information, learn new things and communicate with friends and family. However, they maintain it is important for families to understand that online threats exist and know how they can help ensure a safer experience.

Windows Live Family Safety Settings, a customizable, dynamic safety service, will help consumers better protect themselves and their families through content filtering for the Web, contact list management tools for communication services such as e-mail and instant messenger, and online/usage activity reports. It also will expand upon current parental control technologies by providing more options for families. For instance, one feature will warn users before they enter a site that has been deemed inappropriate and then logs the activity if the user chooses to proceed to the site – a tool to help parents understand how their children may be using the Internet.

Parents have options to set up a warning system with older children and with younger children, they might opt to block out certain Web categories altogether. And being able to include expertise from organizations like the AAP gives parents practical and useful guidance to help them determine what is best for their families.

"The AAP age-based guidelines, which will be directly integrated into the Windows Live Family Service Settings service, will help give parents valuable suggestions on appropriate settings as well as best practices for online activities. For instance, in addition to guarding their children from threats, guidance on what to do when a 'teachable moment' occurs – such as when a youngster wants to date online – can help children experience new areas of the Internet in a safer way," said Dr. Donald Shifrin, M.D., Chair, American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Communications.

In addition to expert guidance from the AAP, Family Safety Settings provides Web filtering that will allow customers to choose allow, block or warn settings for a range of content categories, and individualized settings that can be applied for each member of the household. Parents will be able to access activity reports for each user in the family, any time from any PC, to help them stay informed about how their children are browsing the Web or communicating online. Parents also will be able to create "allow" lists for communication services, including Windows Live Mail, Messenger and Spaces, to help prevent their children from crossing paths with unknown contacts.
SOURCE: Microsoft Corporation