The Internet has become an important tool in our everyday lives. Surfing the Web has become second nature for our children.

In the same way we put boundaries for our children in the real world, we should also do so in the virtual world.
There are different types of Internet parental control software that were created to enable parents to manage and control their children Internet use. It is important for parents to understand that no matter how efficient the software is, it can not replace educational efforts and open communication in the family.

Internet parental control software can be efficient when it is combined with parental guidance for safe Web surfing and Web ethics.

If you decide to use a parental control software you can start with Content Advisor which is a basic tool included free in Windows for IE6 or later versions.

1. Make sure you have IE6 (=Internet explorer 6) or later versions installed. Open an Internet Explorer new window. In the Help menu click About Internet Explorer. If the version number is 6.xxx or later then it is OK. If not, you should download and install a later version of Internet Explorer – IE6 or later. The following steps are relevant for IE7 version.
2. In the menu bar click Tools and then click menu item Internet Options.
3. Choose the Content tab and click on the Enable button.
4. In the Ratings tab select filter settings for the categories shown. When the slider is on the left side of the bar the restriction is the highest. For each change of rating click the Apply button. When done click OK button.
5. You are prompted to define a password that will be used in all future changes performed in the settings of the Content Advisor. The Content Advisor is now active.
6. After defining the password click on the Approved Sites tab. In the Allow This Web site text box type in the URLs of websites (one by one) you wish to treat specially. Choose the relevant button on the side of the text box. If you want this website not to be viewed click Never button. If you want this website to be viewed click Always button. When you are done click OK. You can edit this list at any time.
7. If you want to change the password of the Content Advisor or other general settings you can do so in the General tab.
8. If you want to disable the Content Advisor, open Tools menu and click menu item Internet Options. Choose the Content tab and click on the Disable button. You are prompted to enter the password of the Content Advisor. Enter your password. The Content Advisor is now disabled.

Be aware that the content restrictions exist only in Internet Explorer browsers. If you have another Internet browser, such as, FireFox or Google Chrome, installed on your computer your child will be able to surf using these browsers without limitations.