Downloading information's become a common occurrence in today’s world. Internet visitors regularly download music, books, videos, and a variety of other content. And, although it's a regular practice, it's not one that parents should take lightly. It’s crucial to be aware, and to educate children on how to safely download information from the internet, for their well-being as well as that of your computer.

Know the Law

While the advent of the music-sharing site Napster and other peer-to-peer (P2P) sites made free downloads commonplace, it brought to light a huge problem and—ultimately—a very costly lawsuit. In addition, it put into place legislation prohibiting the free uploading or sharing of copyrighted material. The No Electronic Theft Act was signed into law in December of 1997. Under this law, individuals are forbidden to receive or distribute any copyrighted electronic materials.

Not For Young Viewers

In addition to the legal ramifications of downloading content from the internet, there are moral issues as well. A study conducted in the year 2000 by Crimes Against Children Research found that one in every four children in the 10 to 17 year age group had been exposed to some sort of unsolicited pornographic material online. By the year 2005, that number had risen to one in three.

While many parents are using filtering software (one third in 2000, and 50% by 2005), the content often seems to slip through the cracks because of the onslaught of amateur video sites. Some videographers are becoming tricky by sandwiching inappropriate materials between regular video footage such as sporting events.

Beware of P2P Sites

Many teenagers find the allure of P2P sites very strong. It looks like a great way to connect with friends and share content. However, in addition to the copyright laws that could be broken, these sites can leave a computer open to be accessed by anyone if they're not set up correctly. When a P2P site is used, the host machine for downloaded content is your computer.

After installing the site’s software, the user's able to select how the material on their computer will be utilized. He can choose to simply download from others, or can allow others to connect with their computer and download their information; this practice leaves all your files, even personal ones, open and ready to be viewed, copied or even stolen. The materials that are uploaded can be fraught with viruses and malicious codes that can infect and even destroy your computer’s hard drive.

Top Filtering Software

One way to keep your computer—and kids—safe when using the internet is to purchase filtering software. With these programs, parents are able to set parameters for their children’s internet surfing habits. While no program's completely foolproof—and should never be a replacement for personally monitoring your child’s online activities—many go a long way to provide the first steps in keeping children safe on the internet.

One of the biggest problems parents face when choosing the appropriate filtering program is sifting through the mass of products available. The following's a list of a few of the top rated programs, and the support they offer:

• Net Nanny. This program can be purchased for around $30. It's easy to use and install, and it provides an abundance of filtering functions. It allows the administrator (parent) remote access to their child’s usage logs so that they are protected even when mom and dad aren't at home. In addition, the program will alert parents via email if a child views objectionable material.
• CYBERsitter. Unlike other programs, CYBERsitter allows the administrator to scan the computer’s hard drive for questionable materials. It also includes a basic email filtering program (this does not, however, replace a spam filter). The program can be purchased for around $35.
• CyberPatrol. Offered for around $40, CyberPatrol isn't as easy to use as the other programs, however it still offers adequate filtering protection. One concern about this program is that when a website's “allowed” in the friendly list, any link from that site's also made available.

How to Practice Safe Computing

One of the most important ways to prevent your children from downloading inappropriate material or connect with a P2P site is to be aware of what they're doing. While parents of younger computer users are often very vigilant, those with teenagers can become complacent about following up on their child’s computer usage. One study by Greenfield Online reported that three quarters of 16 year olds are allow to surf the internet freely, with only five percent of parents of children over 16 monitoring their child’s online activity.

It's crucial to check your computer’s history bar to see what sites your child's been visiting. In addition, check the favorites bar to discover the sites they frequent. One word of caution is the fact that the explorer bar can easily be cleared. This is why it's essential to observe other areas of the computer. Regularly check the hard drive for newly downloaded files with .gif, .jpg, .bmp, .tif, or .zip extensions (endings). Also check the cookie files. This is a piece of text that a website server stores on a computer’s hard disk so that it can be retrieved at a later date. Site filtering software is another option to ensure your child isn't able to view or download inappropriate material. And of course, software programs to monitor the computer’s online history are also available.