Maybe keylogger software isn't the right term, but it's the only one I really know.

So I got my laptop a couple years ago as a personal device, but now 4 different people in my house use it and while I've set myself as Admin and the rest as standard users, there are a couple individuals whom I would like to monitor for parental reasons. Does anybody have any recommendations for software that would give me such things as browsing history and chats? I never thought I would be interested in such a thing, but ever since I became a parent and a guardian I am concerned about safety. I let them install whatever they want (but I do watch my install/uninstall history as well as event logs, just in case) and I really don't care that much what they do so long as it's 1.) not illegal and 2.) no one is trying to harm them. Looking for free to try it out, but wouldn't mind paying if it is more reputable. The thing I'm not looking for is for features I would have to pay for that I won't use, which is why I'm interested in basic and free, but if there are features out there that one would normally pay to have on the software, I will.

What exactly are you looking to do? Like stop them from visiting websites you'd rather not have them see?

This does seem a little control freak-ish, even in a parenting context.

Not really. I'm just trying to ensure they aren't subject to predators. I'm a tad concerned about it because in the past 3 years (though I've since moved in the past 3 months, roughly 5 miles) there was 1.) a pedophile living next door who wasn't convicted yet, but was out on bail and we knew him for years and never had a clue until he tried committing suicide and I found out from a reporter asking my opinion on the deal 2.) a teacher in the school district was caught with child pormography and stalking. Both of these people used the internet for their medium.

My main goal is to allow their freedom but if there is ever that just-in-case, I could deal with the situation. As for the first reason of illegality, I'm their legal guardian and so what they do illegally can fall upon me.

I know it does, but I don't want to control anything. I just want to be a little aware of people they deal with who might be suspicious. Considering what I've witnessed in last few years (see above, and unfortunately there is more in years prior but not as relevant but still closeby), I think I have a bit of a right to be paranoid and want to take a minimal amount of action. I trust them, I just don't really trust others. And they know I want to do this, so it's not like I'm being secretative or misleading about it. I thought that was important that they know I trust them, because if I didn't trust them, I wouldn't tell them.

I can understand your concern, but if that's your only concern the best things you can do are:

1. TALK TO YOUR KIDS

2. Don't let them use the computer unsupervised.

It's virtually impossible to control online chatting these days without outright blocking ALL chatting. In which case your kids will hate you.

I just wanted to point out something in particular here: there's a lot of people on the Internet. Sure, some are creeps just like there are creeps everywhere. Your children could have just as easily gone over to your neighbor that you say was a pedophile, but I'm guessing they didn't (otherwise you'd be freaking more, I'm sure). Why not? Because your kids aren't stupid. They know better than that. Sit them down and give them the low-down on the Internet. Where men are men, women are men, and kids are FBI agents. The chances of them chatting with any type of creep by random chance are small, the chances of them doing so after you've explained to them are even smaller. Tell them not to talk with anyone they don't know and not to respond to random emails or friend anyone on Facebook (if they have Facebook) that they don't know. If there truly was an unconvicted pedophile next door to you, your kids were probably more at risk at home than they'd be online.

Just my 2 cents and some perspective.

I hear all your points and I already have talked to them, but I can't be over their shoulder every minute they use the computer.

Trust me when I say this, but this is not something I have taken lightly. It is something I've thought about a long time, brought it up with them and we discussed, I got their feedback, and they agreed with me.

Very true and I shudder everytime I think about it. It was one of the biggest wtf moments in my life when I found out.

Well, strictly speaking it doesn't have to be every time they are on the computer, just every time they are online. That way if it's the case they get home before you do, but need to type up something for homework or something like that, they can do that, but have to wait for you to get home to go online. That's something quite doable.

Basically, as I said, it's impossible to monitor chatting in any sort of reasonable way. If you don't have time to supervise them in person, how will you find time to read through the mountains of logs any sort of supervision software will create? A keylogger would create even more information. I'm not saying it's impossible (it's http://myhook.sourceforge.net/) but it'd create a mountain of data, 40% of which would be personal and an invasion of your children's privacy, and the other 60% mundane homework related since the chances of anything happening are so infinitesimally small it can't even register as a typable percentage.

Like I said, I understand where you're coming from, but you're making hasty and poor conclusions IMO. There's almost no chance of them running into a predator online and if they do, you've already talked with them. You've done your best, so maybe you should trust your kids to do theirs. You can't watch over them forever. Teaching them and letting them grow will do them much better good in the long run.

If you want to limit things a bit more, though, I'd suggest setting up http://www.opendns.com/. Of course it'll also hit you since it's your computer too. You could then block sites like Omegle (granted, blockings easily bypassable if your kids were to learn and seriously try -- this is a problem with pretty much any blocking software unless you get serious with squidproxy + dansguardian) and other anonymous chat sites.

Pretty much everything Defron said. Couldn't agree more. Teaching them, and making sure they have learned your teachings is far more important of a preventative for any sort of internet problems. Virus, suspicious files, scammers, pedophiles, and all sorts of other bad stuff.

I'm with DEFRON and Gamgee.

Not having kids of my own I do not have this issue directly, but my friends 2 kids are the closest I am going to have to kids of my own. I along with their parents have tried to make sure they understand the world around them and the dangers out there. They (all kids) are smart, and if you talk to them like equals rather than a nagging parent I think they will do just fine. (I was always more receptive when I felt I was equal rather than the kid.)

All a parent can do is give them the tools along with the knowledge and hope they listened, making the right choices when confronted with life's realities.

Side note: I was approached by a known pedophile at the age of 16 at the YM/YWCA. Thankfully an employee knew who he was and warned me to stay clear. Though, it wasn't necessary, I was already feeling edgy around him without the intervention. If your gut says NO! Listen.

I used a keylogger to catch one of my girlfriends cheating on me and then I just asked her a bunch of stuff that I knew the answer to so she would lie about it.

It can be invaluable and thoroughly enjoyable software.

I can't say I'd use it on my kids if I had any, though.