Protect your computer

A computer used for internet browsing must be protected against misuse and disturbances. Content that is unsuitable for children can also be blocked using various technological solutions. The most important safety factor, however, is located in the child’s head, and the control of children’s web use should not be left to technology alone.

Ensuring information security

When a computer is connected to the internet, it is threatened by viruses, malware and other attempts at misuse. You can protect your computer by updating its operating system and keeping its anti-virus software and firewall in good working order. You can find instructions for this at www.tietoturvaopas.fi

Fenced garden

The safest playing environment for small children is a fenced area that an adult has inspected beforehand. You can construct this kind of “fenced garden” for your child for the purposes of internet use. You can set your web browser to operate in such a way that it only allows the child access to specifically determined websites. If the child wants to go to a new place on the web, she or he will need a parent to add this new website to the list of allowed ones.

Constructing this kind of fenced garden is possible in most operating systems. In practice, a dedicated user account is created for the child in which the child’s user rights are determined, i.e. which software, files and websites she or he is allowed to use.

Similar security fences can be created for e-mail and instant messaging software. For instance, an e-mail program can be set to allow incoming messages from certain persons or addresses only.

If creating a dedicated user account for the child seems cumbersome, the parent can add the websites that the child uses to the internet browser’s favourites menu (favourites/bookmarks), and teach the child to use them. In such a case, the child him-/herself must take care not to leave “the backyard”, i.e. avoid following links leading to websites external to the websites inspected by the parents. If they so desire, parents can use the browser’s history data for checking whether their child has only visited the allowed websites.

Blocking software (child guard, filter software)

Blocking software can be used for restricting such things as undesired content, file downloading, online shopping and time spent on the computer. These programs run in the background, preventing, for instance, access to content that has been determined harmful (e.g. nudity, violence, racism, gambling). However, blocking is not fool-proof, since it can be circumvented and, on the other hand, it may block access to various useful material. You can find further information on blocking software and the various options on the MLL’s “Viisaasti verkossa” website (in Finnish).

Various types of blocks can also be effected through the operating system and software settings.