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Net Nanny Home Suite v6
We recently reviewed Net Nanny for the Mac and now it’s
time for the PC version to go through the testing. As the changing
threat landscape has changed for not only Internet Security (viruses,
bots & phishing), new software communication methods have also been
targeted by predators.
Thankfully, the developers of Net Nanny are aware
of this new internet technology and their latest version not only
protects from traditional Google searches, it also protects with Instant
Messaging and even peer to peer connections. These are just a few of the
new features of this current version.
Net Nanny Features & Benefits
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Blocks
pornography and protects families and children—Much more
important than how it works, is that you know that Net Nanny
does work. *Net Nanny can block not only pornography, but
hate sites, questionable chat rooms and other dangers of the
Internet.
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Remote
Management—Powerful Remote Management tools exist to help
parents to manage and maintain Internet safety policies from
any Internet connection.
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Social
Network Profile Reporting—Parents can easily access and view
their children’s social networking activities on commonly
used sites like Facebook.
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IM Alert and
Analysis—Net Nanny’s improved internet safety Message
Monitor feature examines the content of instant messages
(IM) and alerts parents via e-mail to potential online
predatory behaviour, cyber bullying and other inappropriate
contacts and comments.
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PC Game
Blocking—Net Nanny 6.0 is the first parental control
software solution to set age-based gaming restrictions using
the ESRB rating system and the first to block desktop PC
games based on categories, including violence, sex, alcohol,
drugs and more.
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As per usual, the installation of Net Nanny was a breeze
and it auto-installed on our Windows Vista test machine with no issues
whatsoever. Once installed, we were greeted to a rather self-explanatory
interface with most users having no difficulty in accessing it.
Thankfully, the program contains some basic settings to help those not
so savvy parents around.
Although previous versions of Net Nanny were great in
blocking pornographic websites, the face of the internet as mentioned
has changed considerably. Although predators will unfortunately always be on the net,
Net Nanny is just another additional layer of protection. Going to
Google to test the program, we typed in "Playboy", "Hustler" and "Porn
Pictures" and Net Nanny automatically done its job.
The program also has the ability to monitor key words during
instant messages, however it not just targets pedophiles abusing this
system but also cyber bullies which is a very dangerous occurrence in
Australian and American society. A great feature of Net Nanny is that if
a parent is at work or via their iPhone or similar devices, an e-mail
can also be sent to them in order to warn them that something has
occurred.
We tested this feature with
MSN Messenger and once again Net Nanny came to the rescue and even
informing us of what just occurred.
With that said, the program also features a Remote
Management tool which gives parents not only some additional peace of
mind but also the ability to react, even though they are not home. If
parents do not have these features, another way of being warned is when
they return home and use their computer, Net Nanny will inform them of
the incident.
A nifty feature of Net Nanny is Content Cleanup which
searches your computer for any offensive material through the click of a
button. This ensures that users cannot accidentally stumble on these
files as Net Nanny will inform parents of this content.
As social networking sites
become more and more popular, this software supports these sites as well
such as MySpace or FaceBook. This feature basically allows parents to
check out their children’s profiles and ensure that their profiles are
not exaggerating some fact or giving users personal details and ensuring
that their friends are just that... friends!
As opposed to the Mac version, the PC version supports PC
Game Blocking that allows parents to set restrictions on the type of
games that their children play. This uses the ESRB system which is a
global rating system and will assist parents in ensuring that their
children are not playing inappropriate games such as Grand Theft Auto or
Call of Duty.
At the end of the day, parents should take an interest in
their children’s learning and as PC’s are in all the schools and most
homes, this is one tool that can assist parents prevent their children
from falling into traps. Match that with some highly detailed reports
and when it comes to safety, this program hits the nail on the head.
Recommended! |
