How can I ensure that Children are safe with P2P Networking?

Children need guidance before they start and when they are using P2P programs and networks.

• Ensure you understand the potential dangers of P2P networking and have knowledge of how P2P communities work.
• Investigate the popular P2P programs or the particular one which your children wish to use.
• Determine the level of parental controls you can apply to the P2P program. Some have virus protection and adult filter capabilities installed with them.
• Determine whether your normal Internet filter program lets you manage access to P2P networks. You may be able to configure it to help with your P2P network access.
• Parent's guides are written for many popular P2P programs. Make yourself aware of these.
• Discuss issues such as netiquette, copyright and privacy with children and explain how common sense Internet safety rules apply in P2P communities.
• Use monitoring software to keep track of online activity. Monitor such things as amounts of downloads and time spent online.
• Search through online websites to keep up to date with advances in P2P technologies.

If you are not convinced children will remain safe using the P2P program installed on your home computer, search for another one more suitable with better parental controls on it.