Internet Filters

[Fredwina]

I'm at home with my Mom.
The problems is that my nephew, who is supposed to be studying for his GED, has instead been looking at Barelylegalporn.com. I have proposed that mom buy net nanny, but wanted to know if there is a freew product available (I know the irony of using freeware to restrict free speech!),
Thanks.Jana

[Irulan]

Put the computer in a public spot: Kitchen, dining room. This usually cures the porn thing right away.

I am a mother of two sons. 20 years ago young men were keeping Playboy under the mattress. Don't get stressed out about it but don't let them keep a computer in the room either.

Why does he need the computer for GED anyway, other than practice tests? If not porn, there a zillion other ways to waste your time on the internet.( says the woman posting on TE )

To be frank, when we found our boys looking at things we deemed "inappropriate", DH sat down with them, acknowledged their curiousity, and then had a little talk about "this is not what making love or a loving relationship is about" that got the point across, more or less.

[smurfalicious]

Here you go. Tucows list of parental control freeware:

http://www.tucows.com/software.html?...oftwarebrowser

Irulan I wish your husband could talk to all the guys in this world. I'm so not anti-porn but most of it sucks! There's good stuff out there for sure but the stuff guys gravitate is totally unrealistic and awful towards women.

[Xrayted]

Is it that he is using someone else's computer? I hate porn and would flip if someone was engaging in porn sites on my computer. There are tons of freeware out there but you need to find one that will screen what you choose and not block out regular stuff by mistake. (some net nannies would block TE because of the word estrogen in the title.)
I guess what I'm wondering is... if he is of age to drop out and get his GED, then he is an adult? In that case, I just don't feel like I'd have a right to say anything for an adult, in the privacy of where they live (their room), on their own computer, out of site of younger children, etc. Yeah, I know I'm opening myself up to all kinds of nasty backlash here... I'm someone's kid too. I know my Mom would have a fit even at my current age. But, she would also know that it's none of her business. (She'd still give me h*ll though. ) That's why I'm a good kid.

[Mr. Bloom]

We've used netnanny in the past. Smart kids know how to get around it...and unfortunately, it sometimes keeps you from getting to good sites...which may be frustrating for your Mom.

A better alternative may be to treat him like an adult (like xrayted, I'm guessing that he's around 18). You can't keep him from doing it, but you can make a pact with him not to do it on Mom's computer...then verify it with site logging software.

Just to be safe, make sure you have good virus protection as well since I'm guessing that many porn sites are really just a conduit for virus delivery. I use BitDefender (paid) and AVG (free) for virus protection and Ad-Aware (free) for spyware removal.

[Aggie_Ama]

We had a roommate for a short time last year that had a ridiculous porn issue. I am of the camp that porn is degrading and sets unrealistic expectations of real women so DH does not view it. I tried parental controls my ISP offers thinking if nothing else it would embarass him out of it. It did not so we removed the guest account and password protected mine and DH's access with really weird passwords, they computer was only used by us the next 1.5 months. I think the public place would be best but unless your mom is home 24/7 he will do it there.