Keep your kids safe online

One of the safest online environments for children is America Online. The service lets parents invoke varying levels of control over Web browsing, instant messaging (IM), e-mail, and chat rooms. To access these settings, go to keyword: parental controls. Click your child's screen name, then the button for the area you want to manage. Clicking Edit Web Control, for instance, will bring up choices ranging from Kids Only (which restricts all inappropriate content) to Mature Teen.

When a child tries to view a suspect site, AOL blocks access until permission is received from the parent via either e-mail or IM. AOL also supplies a kid-friendly search engine that avoids potential traps inherent in Google and the like.

With the Parental Controls window open, click the Internet Access Controls button, then click "Turn on Internet controls." This blocks access to inappropriate sites via an external browser.