Home  | Offices | Forms | News Releases | FAQs | Publications | Contact Us   
    NC State Bureau of Investigation          NC Department of Justice    
ICAC Section Header
Message from AG
ICAC Task Force
Parents and Guardians
Information For Parents and Guardians
Internet Safety Video and Resource Guide
Online Predators
Cyberstalking
Unwanted Exposure to Sexual Material
Tips for Parents
Family Rules
Additional Resouces
Children
Educators
Law Enforcement and Prosecutors
Protecting Children
CyberTipline
Additional Resources
Other Internet Safety Issues

Unwanted Exposure to Sexual Material:
Tips for Parents

Contact Your ISP for Help. The company that provides your Internet service can help you control what your child can and cannot access on the Internet. However, according to some ISPs, parents rarely take full advantage of these services. Contact your ISP to learn about the parental control features it offers. Increasingly, ISPs are offering controls for free or at a small charge. In either case, the company has a technical support staff to help you. If you want to learn more about your company's features or how to set up the parental controls yourself, go to the company's website.

Use Your Computer's Parental Controls. In addition to the parental controls available through the ISP, you can use the computer itself to help make the Internet a safer place for children. For instance, you can set up the computer so a child only has access to certain approved websites.

This process may seem daunting, but the computer can assist you in setting up parental controls. Most computers contain some form of a "Help" menu. You should access it and type "Parental Control." The computer will present a list of topic information based on those words. Clicking on a topic will bring more information. One of the first things your computer will do is instruct you to set up individual logins for each family member.

Parents can also check a record of the websites that have been visited. These are often found under "History." The websites offer clues about your child's online activities.

For instance, if your child has a secret email account, the Internet History may indicate visits to the site that hosts the email account.

You can set up the computer's parental controls to prevent the Internet History from being altered or deleted by your child.

Assistance is available. If you aren't able to set up parental controls on your computer, here are some other options:

  • Contact Technical Support. Call the computer or software company's technical support number, or send the company an email. Software means the programs you use to access the Internet like Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape.
  • Arrange for a House Call. Contact a local computer technical support company that makes house calls. For a fee, a technician can come directly to your home, set up the parental controls for you, and show you how to use them.
  • Contact Family and Friends. Many of us have a family member or a friend who is more computer-savvy than we are. If you are having difficulty setting up parental controls, ask that person to assist. They may be willing to help.

    • Consider Installing Filtering and Blocking Software. You may also want to acquire additional parental control software that limits what your child can access. Filtering devices can add another level of security, although many people find that the controls available on their computer and through their ISP are sufficient.

    Report Suspicious Activity

    If your child or anyone in the household has received child pornography, contact local law enforcement. You should also contact authorities if your child has received obscene material from someone who knows that your child is under the age of 16. You may also call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit http://www.cybertipline.com.