Teens, parental controls and safe mode

[MamaDee6]

Oli,

Thanks. If I had blocked all downloads on parental controls, would that have blocked him from getting Torrent?

Dee

 

[osholt]

Oli,

Thanks. If I had blocked all downloads on parental controls, would that have blocked him from getting Torrent?

Dee

Supposedly, torrent files are usually downloaded from torrent directories (which should be blocked) but the files which those torrent files then download (the actual content) aren't regulated by Parental Controls (it sees them in much the same way as antivirus updates).

So if for some reason he can download torrent files or he's found a way to get a hold of them he can then download the content they download.

To be absolutely sure that he can no longer do this remove uTorrent from the PC and block torrenting on your PC via either the Windows Firewall/Antivirus Firewall, your Router or your ISP.

The easiest of the 3 to implement is to give your ISP a phone call and do it that way.

Having just the torrenting program gone should suffice though.

Oli

 

[Smurfyy]

Wow,
Makes me feel really lucky, im 15, i have my own computer, my own laptop...

UTorrent should only run as administrator and require a password to run, but if you gave him the password, then theres nothing you can do, but change the password and ask him what he wants it for when he wants it...

To block UTorrent, press start and type windows firewall, click the second one that comes up.

Along the side of the window that pops up, there will be 2 options, turn windows firewall on or off and allow a program through windows firewall. Click allow a program through windows firewall. (this will ask for permission to do this)

Now, find UTorrent on the list, there will be a tick box next to it, click it, it should now be clear.

UTorront should now be blocked.

You will just have to wait until your son tries to download something using it, it should block it and ask for admin password to allow it, don't allow.

Hope this helps you,
Daniel =)

 

[MamaDee6]

Wow,
Makes me feel really lucky, im 15, i have my own computer, my own laptop...>>>>>

Are you saying you have no computer restrictions? Do you think I'm being unreasonable....that a 14 year old should be able to download porn?

Dee

 

[Shadowjk]

You see unless you have seen the 14 year old downloading unwanted or offensive files then I wouldn't but if you have then I would put Parental Controls on...

But be careful and check the history of the browser the child/teen is using.
Also under no circumstances give the child/teen the administrators password

P.S this is only a recommendation you do not have to follow these steps if you don't want to.


Hope this helps,
Josh

 

[Smurfyy]

Yeah, im15, no restrictions, but my mum and dad can see the IPs of the websites i go on in the wireless router logs.

I dont think your being unreasonable, your doing what you think is right, and besides, some torrent downloads have viruses, and pron downloads are probable full of it, so its best that you stop him from downloading it to avoid a virus/malicious attack on your computer. He probably got lucky with the one he downloaded... I would run a full system scan to make sure..

Daniel =)

 

[tom982]

Wow,
Makes me feel really lucky, im 15, i have my own computer, my own laptop...>>>>>

Are you saying you have no computer restrictions? Do you think I'm being unreasonable....that a 14 year old should be able to download porn?

Dee

I also don't have computer restrictions, but I am a responsible user who respects copyright laws and I can cope with removing a virus.

No, I don't think you're being unreasonable, a parent has the right to decide how their child is brought up. Firstly he isn't legally allowed to watch porn, and secondly a teenage boy is bound to find illegal sources from which he can download it form, so you are not only saving your son, you are saving yourself a massive fine if they find that you have been watching porn illegally.

Ultimately it is your choice, and you should choose whatever you feel is best

Tom

 

[niemiro]

Hello,

I personally do not think you are being unreasonable at all. It is personally correct to stop a 14 from watching porn. It is not right, and obviously the final decision lies with you, but I strongly agree with your decision. Do not worry about my reply for now, do it when you are ready.

Richard

 

[Jacee]

Found this...

Develop a comprehensive, responsible computing policy and communicate this policy to your child. Develop methods to enforce the policy.

 

[MamaDee6]

Group Policy is slightly different to Parental Controls. It is for businesses to control staff, but we can turn some of its functions to your uses. You do not need to worry about this, I will give you exact, easy to follow instructions.

Could you please press the Windows Key + R top open the Run dialogue. Go past any UAC prompts if necessary. Type winver and press enter. In the dialogue that pops up, there should be a coloured logo at the top. It will say something like Windows Vista Home Premium. Can you please tell me exactly what your one says? Thanks!>>>>>>

It says Windows Vista Home Premium.

Also, a friend recommended "Spector" to use as parental controls and says it cannot be bypassed using safe mode. Do you know if this is true? If I could find a really good security program, I could make my son buy it. ; )

I did a little experiment today, too. I went on my son's account and made sure parental controls were on and "block downloads" was checked. All I had to do was go to a torrent file site, pick one out and try to download it. When I was denied access, I simply copied the URL and put that in the torrent program. Downloaded no problem. If I can figure this crap out, any 14 year old can. I know nothing! The only reason I found this video today is b/c DS started the download last night right before Vista kicked him off....he simply left his account on to finish up overnight. I happened to check before he woke up and could "hide" it. Somehow he's hiding downloads, too, and I haven't figured that out yet. I found the path to one of the files and it was hidden somehow in between two files.......he had a files a-z.......the video (name started with p) was in a file I couldn't find earlier IN BETWEEN the o and p file. How the heck do you do that?!!! I'd like to find what he's hidden to know just what I'm dealing with, here.

I appreciate everyone's help. And I'll let you know about the safe mode thing, Richard. If I can find a good parent security program that cannot be bypassed using safe mode, I might just do that.

I'm finding out that some of my friends just take a "well, if I see something bad he did, I'll do something about it." But if the kids are savvy enough.......the parent would never FIND what they did.

Thanks so much,

Dee

 

[osholt]

To find hidden folders, you just need to enable the viewing of hidden folders on your admin account and regularly scan through folders to see if he's hidden any folders/content.

This can be done by using Hidden Files and Folders - Show or Hide - Windows 7 Forums.

I also recommend stopping him from saving things to any other directory than his home folder, if that's not already in place.

Oli

 

[Smurfyy]

I did a little experiment today, too. I went on my son's account and made sure parental controls were on and "block downloads" was checked. All I had to do was go to a torrent file site, pick one out and try to download it. When I was denied access, I simply copied the URL and put that in the torrent program. Downloaded no problem. If I can figure this crap out, any 14 year old can.

Heyy, if you want to stop him from downloading, keep the parental controls for normal downloading on, and use the method i posted on page 3 to block UTorrent, if it doesn't work, give me a shout and ill review it...
Or even better, you should be able to block UTorrent in parental controls by clicking program limits and finding it on the list and un-tick it.

Ill create a new account on my PC to see what i can do after ive blocked the program, as vista business has no parental controls

Daniel =)

 

[Jacee]

I did a little experiment today, too. I went on my son's account and made sure parental controls were on and "block downloads" was checked. All I had to do was go to a torrent file site, pick one out and try to download it. When I was denied access, I simply copied the URL and put that in the torrent program. Downloaded no problem. If I can figure this crap out, any 14 year old can. I know nothing! The only reason I found this video today is b/c DS started the download last night right before Vista kicked him off....he simply left his account on to finish up overnight. I happened to check before he woke up and could "hide" it. Somehow he's hiding downloads, too, and I haven't figured that out yet. I found the path to one of the files and it was hidden somehow in between two files.......he had a files a-z.......the video (name started with p) was in a file I couldn't find earlier IN BETWEEN the o and p file. How the heck do you do that?!!! I'd like to find what he's hidden to know just what I'm dealing with, here.

I'm finding out that some of my friends just take a "well, if I see something bad he did, I'll do something about it." But if the kids are savvy enough.......the parent would never FIND what they did.

Thanks so much,

Dee

Dee, your kid is 14! You can control his use of the computer if it's yours', cant you?
I know this sounds rather 'blatent', but if one of my kids was downloading pron (sp is to keep search engines at bay) ... I would have a special "talk" and ground 'em from the computer until it's understood what can and cannot be done using the computer.

 

[niemiro]

Hello,

I have never tried Spector. Looking around, it seems to have very good write-ups and reviews. Looking at the specs on the website, it seems to cover all aspects of computer use. Have a look here: Computer and Internet Monitoring Software (use the Product drop-down at the top then Product Overview for details. Whether you use it is up to you. Maybe you could see what you think of your friends copy, though I don't know if that is possible. I will still write the program, because I love coding, but there is no reason for you to use it if you don't want, so please DO NOT feel pressured into using my program.

Richard

P.S. Thanks for the Vista Home Premium. It was exactly what I wanted to know, and we can now help you far better now, even if you didn't realise that!

 

[tom982]

What anti virus do you currently use?

I use McAfee and that has some parental controls built into it, for example you can block explicit images, keywords and websites.

Couldn't she add all of the torrent sites domains to the hosts file? And then her son wouldn't be able to access any of them.

 

[osholt]

What anti virus do you currently use?

I use McAfee and that has some parental controls built into it, for example you can block explicit images, keywords and websites.

Couldn't she add all of the torrent sites domains to the hosts file? And then her son wouldn't be able to access any of them.

You wouldn't believe how many torrenting sites there are out there, there are about 3 popular ones but they are also mirrored in so many other places with other trackers that it would be near impossible to do manually.

If McAfee has a built in torrent website blocker that's fine but I use McAfee and have never seen this as an option (but I don't play around with firewalls too much so I may well have missed it (it's either completely on or completely off).

Oli

 

[tom982]

What anti virus do you currently use?

I use McAfee and that has some parental controls built into it, for example you can block explicit images, keywords and websites.

Couldn't she add all of the torrent sites domains to the hosts file? And then her son wouldn't be able to access any of them.

You wouldn't believe how many torrenting sites there are out there, there are about 3 popular ones but they are also mirrored in so many other places with other trackers that it would be near impossible to do manually.

If McAfee has a built in torrent website blocker that's fine but I use McAfee and have never seen this as an option (but I don't play around with firewalls too much so I may well have missed it (it's either completely on or completely off).

Oli

I know editing the hosts file wouldn't do much, but if you added the main torrent sites then at least if he did manage to bypass the parental controls, then he couldn't access them.

Oh no, it can't block all torrent sites at once, but I suppose you could add them all manually

 

[niemiro]

This is not primarily for blocking torrents, but it will block quite a few dodgy, virused websites, including known particularly bad porn sites and bad torrent sites. I don't know any torrent websites, but could someone check it out to see how effective it would be at blocking some torrent websites. It is not for blocking porn and torrents, but should be used anyway, just to keep the computer slightly more secure: Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File and for the text version, see here, and allow it to load: http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.txt

Richard

 

[tom982]

Following on from what Richard said, if you have software such as Spybot - Search & Destroy then this will automatically add malicious domains to your host file and it will continue to add more when it updates.

Richard, if I post a list of torrent sites, will I get banned? I have found a list but I am unsure whether it comes under the Forum Rules or not.

Tom

 

[niemiro]

Following on from what Richard said, if you have software such as Spybot - Search & Destroy then this will automatically add malicious domains to your host file and it will continue to add more when it updates.

Richard, if I post a list of torrent sites, will I get banned? I have found a list but I am unsure whether it comes under the Forum Rules or not.

Tom

I am obviously not the one who would ban you, but the simple answer is almost certainly yes, so don't!