I'm going to say this plainly and simply: Children can easily access pornography on the internet. This will seem obvious to many, but it doesn't seem to be obvious to those who peddle it and make it available. Often, flimsy attempts are made by many commercial pornography sites to restrict access to their images in the form of "I hereby declare that I am 18 or over" buttons. In short order, these attempts will only encourage children to enter these sites by appealing to their curiosity.
Are these sites ever going to disappear altogether? Not as long as there is money to be made. Is a parent completely helpless in this war fought to keep their children from growing up too quickly? Not necessarily, as there are steps that parents can take short of removing a child's internet access altogether, and causing resentment in the process.
Here are some things you can do:
* Invest in good internet pornography filter software. The good ones will work with all web browsers, and be effective against internet pornography as well as file-sharing software.
* Establish some online rules for your children. You establish rules when you teach your child how to use the stove or a pair of scissors, so why not when they use the internet? There are many fun and free online resources - such as child-friendly flash video game sites - for children without them having to resort to sites that feature pornography or violent acts.
* Monitor the surfing history of your children. If you have internet explorer, you can check the surfing history by pressing the button up top that looks like a clock with a downward facing arrow. Your child may be savvy enough to erase their surfing history; this is a strong warning signal. This is also ineffective in the sense that it comes after the fact; to prevent in the first place requires filter software that doesn't allow the sites to come up in the first place.
* Keep the computer in a common area. This may be easier said then done if your child has a computer in their room in order to do homework in peace. Still, if it's possible without sacrificing the child's studies, it is a very effective deterrent.
One of the most disturbing statistics related to children's exposure to pornography on the internet (from familysafemedia.com) is that the average age that a child is first exposed to internet pornography is 11 years old. Children that age clearly have little frame of reference with which to process this kind of material, but the forbidden aspect of it can easily pique their curiosity, and compel them to search for more. Before this point is reached, you - the parent - have the responsibility to do what it takes to let your child be one for a little while longer.
If you don't have internet porn filter software on your child's or family computer, you may want to check out some effective software at www.mynabyoo.com';return true">MyNabYoo.com.
About the author: Donald Mills is the proud parent of a responsible 'net surfer.
> Parental Control Software 
