So how do you, as parents, stop your children from potentially viewing damaging material? Here are three great examples of parental control software that can help save the day.

3. PC Pandora 7.0

Starting off the list is PC Pandora 7.0. While not the best on the market, PC Pandora is still one of the better options out there and can help protect your children from the unwanted perils of the internet. PC Pandora allows you to run it in stealth mode, making the child unaware that it is even open and blocking anything. The program also allows you to monitor all computer and internet activity such as what is typed and what sites are visited.

Additionally, this program allows you to control internet usage. If you want your child to only have internet access for an hour a day without having to put in a password, you can do that. Other great features include the ability to have reports sent to you via email of what is being accessed, as well as the ability to view what is happening on your computer screen from another computer. The biggest problem with this service, however, is that in order to access some of the more prominent features you will have to pay a pricey monthly subscription. Overall, PC Pandora is a great program, but its pricey subscriptions can become a problem.

2. McAfee Family Protection 2.0

Trusted as one of the safest names in the computer world, McAfee recently released McAfee Family Protection 2.0. Capable of blocking websites divided into 35 different categories, you can pick and choose what your child accesses. Additionally, this program monitors email, IM, and social networking posts made on sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Similar to PC Pandora, McAfee Family Protection also sends detailed email reports to you whenever you would like.

The main problem with this program, however, is that if your children are tech savvy the program can be disabled somewhat easily and isn’t hidden in stealth mode like PC Pandora. Though, one thing this program does better than PC Pandora is price. While PC Pandora comes with that pricey subscription, McAfee Family Protection 2.0 is a one time payment of about $45.

1. SocialShield

While SocialShield may not be the best overall parental control software out there, it is certainly the very best when it comes to monitoring social networks. SocialShield lets parents monitor child’s use of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Google+, and FormSpring. This program even compiles all of these websites into a nice, neat timeline so you don’t have to go from website to website to see what was posted. Additionally, SocialShield flags posts, photos, and friends that may be problematic.

The only gripe with this program is that it cannot function without the child’s compliance. In order to access all of this material, you will need to ask your children for their usernames and passwords for these websites. Once these are given, this program works like a charm.

Overall, PC Pandora, McAfee Family Protection, and SocialShield will give your computer and children the protection it needs. With the help of these three programs, no longer will you have to worry about your child using the computer and what they may encounter.