This post was submitted sometime back, but never made the list as it was lost in the shuffle by moderator. Although the response is not timely to the questions raised, the information might still be useful to parents (and spouses?) on the list. The question of tracking a child's online activities was raised awhile back. For those on AOL, they have parental controls under SETTINGS/PARENTAL CONTROLS. The problem seems to be that they will only allow access to sites they have rated. It's a blunt tool, blocking even search engines, but it limits access. I.E. also has controls under TOOLS/INTERNET OPTIONS/CONTENT. It is password controlled by level of sex, violence, language, nudity. Not sure how many sites are accessible. I know it is excellent at blocking most anything in the lowest risk level. Not the best option, but better to be too limiting than too permissive. It can be turned on and off via password, so you can permit access when you can supervise, and shut if off when you can't. There is an option to override the blocking mechanism, via password, including allowing sites to be viewed every time, not just the current visit. Even if your AOL parental controls are turned off, the I.E. controls are in effect. Not sure if it is as effective on other ISP's or browsers. What prompted this post was information available at http://www.oprah.com/ from the February 7, 2002 show. Because I don't know how long this page will be available on Oprah.com, the following sites are referenced, the first and last being McAfee products: http://www.neoworx.com http://www.bpssoft.com/PowerTools/pt_comp.htm http://www.securitysoft.com http://www.webroot.com/childsafe1.htm http://kids.mcafee.com Whether you tell your kid what you're doing upfront, or do it surreptitiously, as a parent you have a responsibility to protect them from predators. I would no longer let my son tour the Internet alone than let him walk through a red-light district, or a bar or a casino unsupervised, if at all. William Closure The NOSPIN Group is now offering Free PC Tech support at our newest website: http://freepctech.com