Windows Vista offers new techniques you can use to protect your family online. As allways, one should not rely on technology alone, so here are four tips which can help you enjoy the Internet experience in complete safety :

• Keep communication open--talk with your children about what they’re using the Internet for.
• Set clear rules for Internet use.
• Keep personal information private.
• Install and use family safety technology.

Windows Vista includes family safety technology that can help parents choose the online content and experiences that are appropriate for their families. (If your computer runs Windows XP, consider using Windows Live OneCare Family Safety.)

If you're a parent, you can use the Windows Vista Parental Controls to manage the following:

• What Web sites your children can view.
• What time of day and how much time your children can spend online.
• Which video games your children can play.
• Which programs your children can use.

You can also get reports about your children's online activity.

Turn on Parental Controls in Windows Vista

To help ensure family safety with Windows Vista, first you turn on the Parental Controls feature for your child's account. Then you adjust Web restrictions, time limits, game ratings, and program limits for the account.You can only apply Parental Controls to standard user accounts, so first make sure that each child has a standard user account.

To set up Parental Controls for your child, you'll need to log on to your computer with an administrator account. (You cannot apply Parental Controls to an administrator account.)

To set up standard user accounts

1. Click Start, then Control Panel, and then Add or Remove User Accounts.
2. You should see a dialog box that asks for your permission to continue. Click Continue.
3. Click Create a New Account.
4. Type the user name you want for your child.
5. Make sure the Standard User option is selected, and then click Create Account.
6. Repeat for each child who will use the computer.

Turn on Parental Controls

1. Click Start, then Control Panel, and then, under User Accounts, click Set up Parental Controls. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
2. Click the account for which you want to set Parental Controls.
3. Click On, enforce current settings, and then click OK.

Now that Parental Controls are on for your child's account, you can set activity reporting, Web filtering, time limits, and gaming and program restrictions.

Set up Web restrictions
To control which Web sites your children can access and which programs they can download, under Windows Settings, click Windows Vista Web Filter.

With Web restrictions, you can do the following:

• Choose Block some websites or content to block specific Web sites.
• Choose Only allow websites which are on the allow list to block all Web sites except those you specifically allow.
• Use the built-in filter to automatically block Web content based on ratings. You can adjust the restriction level under Block web content automatically.
• Block all file downloads.

You can choose which level of restriction to apply for each family member.

Set time limits

• To set the times when your child can use the computer, under Windows Settings, click Time limits.
• Use the grid to set blocks of time when your child can use the computer.

Limit child computer use time.
Allowed hours are white and blocked hours are blue. Your child cannot log on during blocked times, and if a child is logged on when time limits expire, he or she will be logged off.

Control what games your child can play
Here, you can allow or block games based on rating, or you can choose to allow or block specific games.
To block games by official game ratings or content

1. Under Windows Settings, click Games.
2. Click Set game ratings. Choose which game rating system you want to use and then set the rating. Parental Controls will allow games at that level and lower.

To block specific games

1. Under Windows Settings, click Games.
2. Click Block or Allow specific games.
3. Click Always Block for the game or games you don't want your child to play.
4. Click OK when you finish setting game permissions.

Set up activity reports
If you want a report on what sites your kids visit, what games and programs they play and download, and when they are online, make sure to select On under Activity Reporting. Click View activity reports to see the report for the child’s account.