Kids, your PC and the Internet

"The Court previously took judicial notice that every computer is manufactured with an on/off switch, that parents may utilize, in the end, to control the information which comes into their home via the Internet."
~ Judge Arthur J. Tarnow, in Cyberspace v. Engler

Some Free things you can do to keep your Kids and PC safe

Use a content filtering software like K9 Web Protection (free).
The free K9 Web Protection software allows you to block many categories of websites (i.e.-porn, gambling, social networking).  You can impose time restrictions (it can block the Internet after 10pm, for example).  You can also view reports of Internet activity.

Use and lock Google SafeSearch - blocks web pages containing explicit sexual content from appearing in search results.

Have your kids login the PC using a limited user account - will help protect your PC from your kids changing certain settings and installing certain software (including many malicious programs).  I recommend that households with kids have 2 user accounts on the PC - One administrator account called 'Parents', that is password protected and one limited user account called 'Kids', without a password.

Educate your Kids to:
Be critical of online sources (everything they read may not be true)
Do not disclose their personal information
Recognize Ads (most kids don't distinguish between ads and content)

Use Parental Controls that are built-in to the Home versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7.