Prevet kids from downloading spyware

If your kids surf the Internet, chances are they're going to want to download free games, free music, animated toolbars and other programs that may expose your computer to spyware or other unwanted software.

Spyware is a general term used for software that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent.

Here are a few steps you can take to help your kids download and install software more safely.

Step 1: Talk with your kids

Depending on the ages of your children, you may be able to teach them not to download software from unknown sources on the Internet. If you can convince them to ask your permission before they download anything, you will go a long way toward keeping unwanted software off of your computer.

If you're not sure if the program they want to download contains spyware or other unwanted software, ask a knowledgeable friend or enter the name of the program into your favorite search engine and see if anyone else has reported that it contains spyware.

Consider adding Web sites that you feel are safe to your Favorites list and only allowing your children to download software from those sites.

Tip

Tip: As soon as your kids are old enough to go online, it's a good idea to establish rules that clearly state where they can go and what they can do on the Internet. For more help with guiding kids as they go online, visit our Child Safety section.

Step 2: Use Windows Defender to help protect your computer

Windows Defender helps you detect, disable, or remove spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Windows Defender comes with Windows Vista. If you use Windows XP SP2, you can download Windows Defender for no charge.

Step 3: Monitor your children's activity on the Internet

Keep the computer in a place in your home where it can be easily monitored and limit the length of time your child can spend on the computer. If your children are under 10 years old, you may want to be online with them at all times.

Sometimes your children may accidentally infect your computer with spyware or other unwanted software without even knowing they've downloaded anything. Some popular sites for kids may try to download programs without your kids even asking for them. Your children may see a warning notifying them that a Web site wants to download a program. They may click random buttons on the window just to get it to disappear. What they click on might just be "I agree."

Although it's not intended as a substitute for parental involvement, consider a service that allows you to keep track of your child's online activities. Microsoft offers family safety settings in Windows Live and the upcoming Windows Vista. To learn more, see Windows Live Family Safety Settings and Windows Vista: What makes it the most secure version of Windows yet Look for the Help protect your family section. Other companies also offer software products that can help you monitor and guide your child's use of the Internet.

Step 4: Give your child a limited user account

Windows XP allows you to create multiple user accounts for your computer. Each user can log on separately and has a unique profile with his or her own Desktop and My Documents folder. As a parent, you can give yourself an Administrator account with full control over the computer, and give your children Limited User accounts, with restricted controls that will help prevent them from downloading programs that may contain spyware or other unwanted software.
For help on adjusting user accounts in Windows XP, read Share your PC: Get started. To learn more about spyware, common signs of an infection, and how to get rid of spyware and other unwanted software, visit Windows Defender.