Fellowship of the Metroplex, Arlington, Texas, USA

The Internet can be used for good or evil, like many things that man creates. On one hand, it is an amazing tool that is changing the way people communicate and relate; on the other hand, it can be the gateway for the worst of what man has to offer. For every offense there is a defense, although it is not possible to completely isolate offensive material and, at the same time, provide some level of useful freedom.

The best defense is an informed and involved parent. The US Department of Justice has an excellent Web site that covers ALL the dangers of the Internet: www.cybercrime.gov. A good Christian resource for protecting kids is www.focusonyourchild.com/hottopics/A0001282.cfm. Many other resources can be found by searching Google (www.google.com), using "Internet safety" or something similar as a search term.

There are various defenses: many are free, some are bundled with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or computer package, and some need to be purchased. The following table lists various defenses, a likely source to obtain them, and links to downloads and/or further information:

Defense	Description	Source	Priority
Internet Firewall	Prevents unauthorized access to your computer and/or network through either open ports and/or unauthorized software.	The best firewall usually runs on modems and/or wireless routers (cable, dialup, DSL or satellite dish). and/or bundled as software with a connection connection package. If not, some anti-virus software include a personal firewall. And failing that, Windows XP and some other operating systems include good firewall software. Firewall programs available on the Web: PC Tools FireWall Plus (freeware) Zone Alarm (subscription) Panda (shareware)	A MUST HAVE
Anti-Virus Software	Detects and destroys viruses at all levels: e-mail, Web, on disk, on floppies and other removable storage. Some are network- aware; others (most) are not.	An excellent free tool for personal use. Not for business or non-profit use: AVG, http://free.grisoft.com/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5. Another excellent free tool for personal and non-commercial (non-profit OK) use: Avira AntiVir, www.free-av.com. The download link for the basic, free version is available at obtained at www.free-av.com/down/windows/antivir_workstation_win7u_en_h.exe. Anti-virus software is often part of the "free" software package that is bundled with a new computer. You will need to pay for use if you want to use it after the free trial expires. McAfee www.mcafee.com or Norton/Symantec www.norton.com are both good choices. After the initial purchase there is a yearly upgrade fee ($20-$40). Regardless of the software you use, it is extremely important that you allow the anti-virus software to check regularly for updates, as new viruses appear every day. If your software package has an "automatic update" option, use it.	A MUST HAVE
Parental Controls	Filters out undesirable Web sites and links. Usually applied at various levels: child, teen, adult. Normally, Web sites are restricted until the responsible person lifts any restrictions on a case-by-case basis.	Can be bundled with an ISP package; if not, there are numerous parental control packages available, including some very good Christian ones. One highly recommended parental control package is Cybersitter, available at www.cybersitter.com. It does not require updates.	A MUST HAVE if kids and teens are surfing the Internet unsupervised. Otherwise (or in addition to), a central location for the computer (e.g., living room/den) and direct parental supervision is recommended.
Anti-Spy Software	"Spyware" resides in the computer's memory or in the registry. It monitors anything and everything that happens on the computer. It can gather confidential information such as e-mail addresses, credit card data, SSNs, etc., profile computing tastes, slow down computer systems, and, in some more malicious cases, destroy data.	An excellent free tool is Microsoft's Windows Defender, available at: www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx Once downloaded and installed, go to the options screen and set it to run overnight or at regular times. It is important to remain updated. By the way, you can run more than one anti-spyware software on your computer.	HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Anti-Ad Software	"Adware" is similar to spyware. They both can reside in a computer's memory or in the registry, but adware forces you to view ads, usually in the form of pop-ups and home page hijacking. Some are more aggressive, attempting to force you to sign up for unwanted services.	An excellent free tool is Ad-aware, available at: www.lavasoftusa.com. Similar to the anti-spyware software, once downloaded and installed go to the options screen and set it to run overnight or at regular times. It is important to remain updated.	HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Spam Filter	Almost essential now to combat spam, which has become so prevalent that Congress is pushing through anti-spam legislation. Spam filters "learn" what the user considers spam and "quarantines" it for review. If you choose automatic deletion of suspected spam you may lose e-mails that you want to receive. No filter is 100% effective.	An excellent free tool is SpamBayes, available at: http://sourceforge.net/project/downloading.php?group_id=61702&use_mirror=superb-west&filename=spambayes-1.1a3.exe. This software works with Microsoft Outlook Express or Outlook and learns what the user personally considers spam. Addresses in your address book are allowed to hit your inbox. Separates incoming e-mails into Junk E-Mail and Junk Suspects. You review e-mails in the Junk Suspect folder and manually send it either to the Junk E-Mail folder or the Recovered folder. Sometimes, ISPs have spam filters on their e-mail servers, but customers often do not have much control over them.	Highly recommended
Pop-up Blocker	Annoying pop-ups can be prevented; however, many of the pop-ups are legitimate and needed. It is better to tackle the root of pop-up problems by going after adware and preventing illegitimate pop-ups in the first place. A few annoying pop-ups is a small price to pay to ensure that legitimate pop-ups are allowed.	A free pop-up blocker comes with the Google toolbar: http://toolbar.google.com; however, as cautioned in the Description, a pop-up blocker will also block legitimate pop-ups such as new windows on a Web page. PanicWare has a free pop-up blocker that can be turned on and off by clicking on the taskbar icon: http://www.panicware.com/product_psfree.html. You can turn it off when you're on a Web page with links that open new windows.	Questionable (see Defense comment on the left)