Safety Tips for Google Buzz

Google's fledgling Social Networking effort, Google Buzz, launched in February 2010 and immediately caused a storm of controversy over its privacy and safety implications.  

Bloggers and tech writers worried about the 'opt-out' nature of the service (which meant that all Google Mail users were instantly members, whether they liked it or not), the lack of control over personal information such as photographs and friend lists, and the geolocation features (which made it possible to disclose your exact location from your mobile phone).  

YouTube introduces ‘Safety Mode’ for it’s 5th Birthday

It’s hard to believe that monolithic video-sharing site YouTube is only five years old, but indeed, the Google-owned site celebrated it’s 5th Birthday on 14th February 2010.

Like most ‘social networking’ or ‘social media’ sites, the openness of YouTube can be seen as very much a mixed blessing.  Whilst there is no doubt that so-called ‘user-generated’ content present on YouTube has seen a massive boon in creativity in young people, there is a darker side, where violent and explicit material can very quickly become available to all.

Children Search The Internet for "YouTube, Facebook and Sex"

In recent research published by software company Norton, and discussed on the consumer website Which?, it is revealed that young people are actively searching for "sex" and "porn" online. 

Children told to "Zip It, Block It, Flag It" online

Children are to be encouraged to "Zip It, Block It, Flag It" online in a new safety campaign spearheaded by the UK Council on Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS). 

Tips for Protecting Children Online - Part 2

We at Spysure recognise that our monitoring software is just one piece in the puzzle of protecting children online. In the same way that many foods and dietary supplements are useful for weight loss as part of a balanced diet, Spysure is suitable for protecting children as part of a balanced parental strategy.

Today we'd like to offer some more specific technical advice about how certain sites can be configured to make them safer for your children.  Using a combination of responsible parenting and computer-savvy, you can greatly reduce the risk of your children being exposed to unsuitable material on the internet.

Tips for Protecting Children Online - Part 1

We at Spysure recognise that our monitoring software is just one piece in the puzzle of protecting children online.  In the same way that many foods and dietary supplements are useful for weight loss as part of a balanced diet, Spysure is suitable for protecting children as part of a balanced parental strategy. 

So, over the next two days, we would like to offer some further advice on how to keep your children safe online.  Using a combination of responsible parenting and computer-savvy, you can greatly reduce the risk of your children being exposed to unsuitable material on the internet.