Research Teens Computer Useage
I've had much success with googling info on skids. Plenty we would have never known if I hadn't. Here's some things I do regularly to keep an eye on them.
Check "History". Find out where they are going. Many kids don't know how to delete the history, so see where they are going and look at it.
When you give your children computer access make it clear to them that they should have NO expectation of privacy. I wouldn't let mine have an email account that I couldn't access but that's another story with skids.
Google child's name, child's emails, child's name and then also google the name and include the words of popular sites like "livejournal" and "myspace". Do searches for all the popular blogging sites. You'd be surprised what you find.
While you're at it, google the ex and the spouse as well as any of the skids' friends and their emails. We learned my SD's friends were total crap, underage drinking, sex, cutters and more.
Go to myspace, livejournal, xanga, etc. and search for their names and emails. You may have to set up an account, but just set up a yahoo type email and then sign up for those. If you have an account with myspace it allows you access to the person's friend's list and photos. (LOVE the photos -- girl's are much more revealing online and boys love to post photos of their drinking abilities.)
You'd be shocked at what kids put on their blogs and in photos.
My SS (16) recently got busted by us for drinking based solely on what I found on myspace. Turns out the ex had known he was drinking for a couple of months and used it as opporrunity to endear herself to him by not telling his dad.
If you want to really know what's going on in your kid or skids life, encourage them to set up a myspace account! 
Also, if you are really worried, there are affordable trackers that can be immediately uploaded from sites. Make sure you get one that runs blind so that no one knows that it is tracking. That could give you passwords and IM conversations.
With all the technology today, we never know who are kids are communicating with. My skids get calls at all hours (I mean like 3am). It's not okay but DH never says a word. Not to mention how the kids all tell you they're staying here or there and no one ever bothers to verify it on a landline phone.
Blogs are meant for people to read, it is not an evasion of privacy.
- SteppedOn's blog
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For passwords
We have a neat utility on our PC that I got because I am forgetful and couldn't remember my OWN passwords, let alone anyone else's passwords. It's called Norton's Password Manager and it remembers the passwords you put in for everything, then automatically fills them in for you. Now, the older kids might be old enough to figure it out and might not want to put their passwords in initially, but if you can get them to put their password in once, then turn the password manager off when they are visiting, you might get away with it. You can tell them it's just an extra layer of security for your PC or something.
~ Anne ~
P.S. I don't get to have any privacy, so I don't have the slightest problem invading theirs. Besides, I choose security and safety over privacy any day. When they are paying their own way and living under their own roof and stop walking in on me in the bathroom, then they can scream about wanting privacy.
I agree. I visit my
I agree. I visit my daughter's web site regularly as well as her friends' & acqaintences from school..... and she knows it. I know whose drinking, whose sexually active, who posts slutty pictures, who uses foul language, you can learn alot about the character of the people she deals with. Happy to say that her immediate circle of freinds are pretty decent, classy and fun-loving young ladies but theres a few skanks & ho's & druggies & drunks out their at age 13 & 14. Mine is heavy into athletics..so it think that helps keep her out of trouble.
But...She changed her website name one day....but a quick history search and there it was.....
It's really toooooooo easy!
We also tell her we have 'spy's' at the mall....if she goes there with her freinds to 'shop' she better not be a pain in the ass to the other shoppers , hanging out, being rude...obnoxious teenager stuff etc. (like I said before 'snotty spoiled brats' bug me...big time same for ignorant smart-ass teenagers)
And of course she runs into my cop friend & her husband...by coincidence "Were they your spies?" "There were more"..we told her
What-ever I have to do to keep my kids 'in line' and 'on the right path' in life......is FAIR GAME
Thanks for the info...
we don't let ss on our computer b/c he always screws it up...but we have considered getting him a computer to use (hand me down). Anyhow, his mother allows him a myspace account and I never thought to investigate it. Thanks for sharing the info!