Windows Live OneCare Family Safety beta is, by any other name, a free, online parental control service. Microsoft conducted its own research and found that its survey group disliked the term "parental control" because the respondents didn't always identify with the word "parental" and the respondents didn't think what they were doing (that is, filtering sites viewed by others) should be described as "control." So Microsoft opted to use the kinder, gentler phrase "Family Safety" instead.
This service also marks an expansion of the Windows Live OneCare family, which previously included only the paid service. Windows Live OneCare protects and tweaks the performance of your PC, while Windows Live OneCare Family Safety is a free opt-in service. Ironically, the Family Safety beta will first be available to the general public; currently, paid subscribers to Windows Live OneCare must sign up on their own. In the future, all the tools within Windows Live OneCare Family Safety will become part of the OneCare paid service.
Windows Live OneCare Family Safety works by identifying categories of Web sites as defined by third-party organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics. For example, under the category Sexuality, sites that the AAP says would be appropriate for teenagers would be allowed for a 12-year-old but would be automatically blocked for an 8-year-old attempting to access them. By identifying users via their Windows Live login information, Windows Live OneCare Family Safety allows parents to restrict Internet access to a child regardless of which computer they use (this assumes, however, that the child has logged into their Windows Live account on a remote computer).
Windows Live OneCare Family Safety also gives children an opportunity to petition for access to blocked sites. For example, a parent or guardian, operating as the administrator of the family accounts, associates their children to one family account. Whenever a child logs in to Windows Live, the child would be free to surf the Net until he or she reaches a blocked site; a child can then request access "for school research." If the parent or guardian is online, access might be granted (or denied) immediately; if not, an e-mail request would be sent for later consideration.
Future enhancements to Windows Live OneCare Family Safety will include contact management, allowing parents or guardians to control their children's e-mail contact list.
While all this seems fair and flexible, Windows Live OneCare Family Safety assumes that the child always logs in to Windows Live, which may not be the case. Also, we're not sure how many parents want to play administrator, setting Internet policy for their dependents and constantly fielding requests for one-time access to questionable sites.
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xBeanie
13/05/2008, 08:26 PM
rating
1/10
While the paintlook looks very shiny try and drive it and its a nightmare. Trying to add a parent who already has a live ID and it just says she hasnt enough info in her profile but doesnt tell you what is required. Supposed to be able to login automatically but that doesnt work if you have more than one user account on the PC (i.e. everytime you log out of the PC it logs out of family care and makes you log in again next time.
I am just about to uninstall it and go back to my previous filtering software.
Pros: What does work seems to work well. Pity that there are some small but important problems with it that just make it untenable for me.
Cons: Can be difficult to set up, especially when using existing live IDs. Note to Microsoft - you do not have the right to insist on us giving you so much information.
Automatic login doesnt work so can be a problem for younger users.
Kids can probe the boundaries of the tool without detection by simply not signing on.
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jinks0910
28/12/2006, 08:04 PM
rating
7/10
its ok and is good enough.
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alibasket
11/11/2006, 09:15 PM
rating
5/10
Generally a good idea - but teenagers probably no more about Internet access than parents. They'll soon find other ways to gain unrestricted.
Pros: Useful for smaller children - but my opinion could require too much administration.
Cons: Slows access to WEB pages. Sites take noticeably longer to load while the user is checked for permission. Welcome back to dial up speeds.
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07/10/2006, 08:02 PM
rating
8/10
this is good
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