Re: Family protection - proxy?

[Adi Kriegisch <adi () cg tuwien ac at>]

Hi!

> If I may - by what some of these solutions are stating, then, we should
> allow the kids to drink and do drugs at home "in a safe environment"?
> No, I'm pretty sure most parents wouldn't want that.  But, just as with
> the Internet, they could else where if we have not raised them right in
> the first place.  Parents should discuss with them, however, what is out
> there as it is definitely difficult to block everything.  But, if it's a
> known porn/bad site, filter it so they cannot get to it.
Allowing them to do it is a completely different thing. So what you did here 
was basically seeing the world black and white -- either deny or allow. But 
there is alot more:
The central question to me is _how_ you deny or allow and how you deal with 
the fact that there is "evil stuff" in the internet.
To me simply blocking the stuff with a technical solution has two effects: 
Blocking stuff -- taking the decision out of the childrens hands -- makes 
these things even more interesting for them and they will never ever get a 
chance to learn how to handle this stuff -- so they won't have a chance to 
get 'media skills' on their own... Besides the stale feeling of being 
incompetent which could lead to behaving irresponsible because they know 
noone expects them to be able to deal with the stuff.
Most of us here on this list got in touch with the internet when we were 
adults. So "evil stuff" was not an issue. But trying to simulate this 
situation for our kids by futile efforts to block any access to the 
internet -- or at least the "evil" parts of it -- until they are adult cannot 
work because they will get in touch with the internet elsewhere and because 
the internet evolved ever since we are using it -- so they will never ever 
have to chance to start the way we did years ago.

best regards,   
        Adi Kriegisch

=====
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Adi Kriegisch [mailto:adi () cg tuwien ac at]
> Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 12:39 AM
> To: security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: Re: Family protection - proxy?
>
> Hi!
>
> > I am looking for advice on how I can best protect my family from the
> > 'horrors' on the Internet.
>
> I think there is another point -- besides all the excellent technical
> hints
> you already got: Did you consider that your home is a safe playground
> for
> your kids where you have (at least) some control over what happens to
> them
> and where you have a chance to work up what they saw/found/did in the
> internet?
> I think using such a filter will most probably work just fine -- but
> your kids
> will go elsewhere and see/find/do whatever you want to hinder them to.
> Probably it is the best solution to let them safely experience all sides
> of
> the internet in a controlled and safe environment?
>
> > We have a small ADSL/wireless network at home (with a firewall and AV
>
> on
>
> > all systems) on which my kids have their PCs/Macs. My wife and I use
>
> it
>
> > via our laptops.
> >
> > What is the best way of stopping access to porn/violence/etc.?
>
> I would say: deal with it. I think the best filter ever is built into
> your
> children and is not (and can never be) a technical solution...
>
> best regards,
>       Adi Kriegisch

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