PARENTS ARE TAKING ACTION AGAINST INTERNET PREDATORS
Concerned parents are turning to parental control software as a tool to prevent internet predators and paedophiles preying on their children and the risk of their children developing a computer addiction.
Sales are growing for one of the country’s leading software products, Spysure whose managing director, Zafar Majid said: “Parents are right to be concerned about their children’s safety, children as young as six years old are targeted by child sex offenders.
“Reputable parental control software can provide a vital tool to help prevent the serious consequences that have been revealed in national television programmes broadcast by the BBC and ITV channels,” explained Mr Majid.
Statistics quoted in these programmes show just how dangerous it can be to let a child have unrestricted and un-monitored access to websites and emails. Fifteen percent of children interviewed admitted talking to strangers online. One in four of the children admitted to giving personal information online.
“These figures are even more worrying when you consider how predators and paedophiles operate,” explained Mr Majid. “Posing as youngsters themselves and using language that young people relate to, paedophiles log into popular online chat rooms and are able to groom unsuspecting children and even arrange meetings with them.
“Paedophiles are not the only problem. Children are able easily to gain access to other dangerous websites. Without controls in place they can become addicted to gambling, pornography and violence,” said Mr Majid.
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Until recently, parents have been unaware that there was much they could do to intervene. Many young girls and boys have computers in their bedrooms and are wise to any attempts by their parents to find out which sites they are accessing or who they are talking to in chat rooms.
Addiction
New evidence is pointing to another serious risk to children, that of addiction to computers. The Institute for Public Policy Research has found that many under 16s spend more than 20 hours a week online. This can have serious consequences for children’s health and behaviour.
Software such as Spysure gives parents discrete yet effective control and a full record of their children’s internet activity in the home, vital ammunition in the fight against internet predators and addiction.
The software puts children in control of computers in their homes. Not only can access to websites be prevented but parents can also monitor what their children are doing – in detail. This can be done with or without the knowledge of the child. Being aware of their child’s computer habit gives parents the chance to sort out the problem and protect them.
Zafar Majid concludes: “We owe it to our children to be responsible and protective and to make our homes and the computers within them, a safe place to learn and be entertained.”
The Home version of Spysure has been developed from software originally developed for employers wishing to monitor employees’ computer activities. The Spysure Office and Network versions are also available from Spysure (website at: www.spysure.com)
Zafar Majid is available for comment or interview call Rob Whittington on 0121 329 2626 or 07941 58 28 68. The Spysure website is at www.spysure.com |
