The subject of internet security is often overlooked. It’s true everyone knows that you need to protect your computer from viruses, but what about the threat of employees stealing your data, or your children talking to people via the many different instant messenger programmes or social networks?

Being content thinking that you know your employees wouldn’t steal your data or spend all day on the internet does nothing to protect you if that does happen. It’s the same just trusting your children to not talk to strangers online or visit adult related sites. The chances are they could be doing ot now!

I recently attended a seminar where I got chatting to a very nice lady about the internet. On finding out that I worked in personal security, she told me that a family member had recently bought a laptop computer for her son who is 12. She went on to tell me that she had spoken to him regarding internet protocol for children and ensured that he only surfed the net when there was an adult present … then one night she found him chatting to people in secret on MSM and she had no idea who they were! This worried her and now she was asking me what she could do to change this.

Fortunately this is an area I have covered before with clients, so I recommended that she looked at a product called Net Nanny, Security Software.

Net Nanny from Content Watch is simple to use, fully customizable software that you can install on any PC or Mac. You can use the simple set-up assistant to help you determine what online activities (Web sites, chat, gaming and social networks) are appropriate based on your family member’s age. What is also quite amazing is that the Net Nanny software also monitors IM (Internet Messenger) and can alert you via email if it deems something to be inappropriate.

There are many other features to this software so it’s definitely worth checking out. The company that produces this software has also moved with the times and have now released a version for mobile phones. You now never have to wonder about who your children are talking to again.

So that’s home covered. But what about protecting your business interests? Well you can also use similar software produced by Content Watch, the same company that makes Net Nanny.  As with the home version, the software sits quietly in the background filtering content and increasing productivity while reducing liability.

The internet has changed our lives forever. It has become such a part of our lives that it is the first place people turn to when they need something. But what people often forget is that the internet is a semi-policed other world. You can find anything and everything there. You can be anyone you want to be there and more worrying, people can be any age they want to be. It brings people together from every corner of the world and because we use the internet every day, we sometimes forget that bad things happen online as well.

If you’re a parent, taking a small step like installing a $40 piece of software can dramatically reduce the risk of your child doing things online that they shouldn’t be.