I’m not a huge fan of censorship, but there are situations where I believe it’s entirely appropriate. Censoring what’s available in the public domain can stiffle an entire society, but in our homes and businesses can fulfill a valid need. Parents can and should control what their children are exposed to on the internet. Business owners and managers may need to monitor and control their employees use of the internet while at work. These needs can be met unobtrusively and with set parameters by using a keystroke logger.

Keystroke loggers allow you to monitor the ways that a computer is being used, and they will alert you when unauthorized activities are taking place. Employers can use this software to eliminate the use of their equipment and company time for online chatting or visits to other undesirable sites. There’s even software that can function remotely, so the technology can be applied to situations where the person doing the monitoring cannot routinely access the computer being monitored. I can see where this would be extremely useful for busy employers who don’t have the time to visit each computer station on a regular basis, or who need to conduct their monitoring activity covertly. The sophisticated software can even allow you to track, log and archive all internet activity. Sad to say, but sometimes inappropriate use of a computer results in a journey through the court system. Accurate records provide the proof that is needed to bring such cases to a successful outcome.

Parents can apply this same technology to the computers their children use. We’ve all heard terrible stories about adult predators using MySpace and other sites to find their victims. Keystroke loggers can record websites, email, chat room and message board activity. This gives parents the opportunity to intervene before a serious problem develops. Keystroke loggers are a small investment that can pay big dividends in protecting your children and giving yourself some peace of mind.

This post is brought to you by Netbus.org, who have twice won the PC Magazine Editor's Choice Award for Best Monitoring Software.

Labels: internet, payperpost, technology