There are some brilliant way s to protect your children online yet the most effective lies in the fact that you are the parent and that you should find the best and most open ways to protect your children online. The fact of the matter remains that your communication with them will undoubtedly save them a lot of uphill on the internet from cyberbullies, online predators and  the like.

Here are a few pointers:

• Keep your computer in a central and open location in your home and be aware of other computers your child may be using.
• Discuss and set guidelines/rules for computer use with your children. Post these rules by the computer as a reminder.
• Use the Internet with your children. Familiarize yourself with your children’s online activities and maintain a dialogue with your child about what applications they are using.
• Implement parental control tools that are provided by some ISPs and available for purchase as separate software packages. Remember - No program is a substitute for parental supervision. Also, you may be able to set some parental controls within your browser. Internet Explorer allows you to restrict or allow certain web sites to be viewed on your computer, and you can protect these settings with a password. To find those options, click Tools on your menu bar, select Internet Options, choose the Content tab, and click the Enable button under Content Advisor.
• Consider software that allows you to monitor your children’s email and web traffic.
• Consider partitioning your computer into separate accounts - Most operating systems (including Windows XP, Mac OS X, and Linux) give you the option of creating a different user account for each user. If you’re worried that your child may accidentally access, modify, and/or delete your files, you can give him/her a separate account and decrease the amount of access and number of privileges he/she has.
• Know who your children’s online friends are and supervise their chat areas.
• Teach your children never to give out personal information to people they meet online such as in chat rooms or bulletin boards.

However, it is always an excellent thing to continue to prtect using methods that allow you to keep an eye out on your children. Internet filtration software and general anti-virus software can help you do just that. It will ensure that they are always protected and that you receive piece of mind.