Parental controls in Linux

[Randy Grimshaw]

There are options: I use dansguardian for the blacklist feature which is useful for the high school age kids. My configuration is this: Mostly I have used a Dlink D604 as my firewall configured with the 10 available access rules, one of which creates a default deny situation. another rule permits only my systems to use port 80. Another good router for this is the Zonet ZSR0104UP (with one usb and one parallel print server). But I have now learned netfilter well enough that I am building something based on openWRT. (I will let everyone know when this is done). The advantage of dansguardian is it can be cron'd so that it turns off. This keeps the kids out of the multiplayer games and other generally permitted things when they should be sleeping. (the Dlink clock is broken due to an NTP bug). Please note: You must keep your permitted systems under good physical and authentication security for this to be effective. You also have to warn the piano teacher and other homes where computer access may seem innocent enough. (I have kids from 5 to 19). Currently, my dansguardian is configured with a large blacklist but I am adding items so frequently that I will also build it whitelist style for the WRT version (Kids get into trouble in lots of places like shady chat rooms that are not in the normal filters - for this reason the subscription proxies ala Linksys are not on my short list but you may find one valuable). Whitelists will be as much work, but I will be more confident in what is being allowed. I struggle with the broken system problem still. For now the systems used for CD's where the kids must have install priviledges - are kept off the net, and the systems on the net are tightly locked or easily reinstalled. Also note: you get more mileage from a number of cheap PC's and appliances than a single big gaming system - especially if it means you have to share a computer - don't!. I happen to have a talent for building systems from scraps or $30 routers and configuring firewalls, but I can see where it can be a neccessary skill for any parent of many / or challenging children. As a computer professional I love the internet. As a parent, the internet really has a lot of concealed dangers that require a REALLY HIGH LEVEL OF DILIGENCE. It is here and part of the culture... but the kids don't understand that they are targets or at lease a vector to their parents data, or their parents employers data. And your heart screams each time ....
good luck.
<><Randy




<><Randall Grimshaw
Room 203 Machinery Hall
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY   13244
315-443-5779
rgrimsha at syr.edu
>>> wipe_out at users.sourceforge.net 01/08/06 2:49 PM >>>
Hi,

Is there anything for parental control that works on Linux??

I have a friend who has a son that enjoys the internet, he had windows 
on his PC but in less than a week completely destroyed the install 
because of all the stuff he installed..

So we moved him onto a Linux system and so far its working great..

The problem now is that he is getting far to wrapped up in looking at 
porn and not the innocent kind..

Is there any parental control software for Linux available??


Thanks..

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