How can I have my son's emails directed to my email?

Question

My son just recently started using the computer...and I want him to learn...but I wanted to filter the content that is being delivered to his email account. Is there a way I can have his emails redirected to my email without him knowing or suspecting, then if they are decent emails, send them on to him? Any help will be greatly appreciated..and please serious readers only.

Answer 1

here is a much better idea. kids are notoriously clever at getting past security applications. but they can't get past this one. but it's not freee like the others.



get http://www.webwatcherkids.com/ and install it on his computer when he's not home.



it can block the sites he can go to, record everyone of his keystrokes, give you screen shots of what he sees etc. it can evenemail reports to you anytime, anywhere.



this application makes no recognizeable files on the hard drive so he can't find it, he can't see it work, and he can't type in a code to get around it. he's simply stuck with it.



other keyloggers can be removed by spyware removal tools but not webwatcherkids



http://www.webwatcherkids.com/



warning: if he finds out you have been spying on him he may not speak to you again for a very long time. so be careful.

Answer 2

He can direct his mail to your account, but he would then know that you are receiving the messages.



In this case, if he is quite young and you feel you should supervise his e-mail usage, sit with him when he opens his mail and explain to him that messages from unknown senders (spam) should be deleted before they are opened. Tell him to make a list of e-mail senders such as his friends and his grandparents, cousins, etc., and allow him to open those messages with or without you being there.



Tell him that the internet is like a big city...there are friendly neighborhoods and some very scary places. If he receives any messages that he feels are strange, tell him to bring them to your attention. Even his friends may forward bad messages, and those should be checked by you.



If you set up a Yahoo account for his e-mail, use the spam filtering feature. Very little unwanted material gets past that filter.



Good for you for being a vigilant parent. Your son may complain at first, but I think he will appreciate that you take the time and make the effort to keep him safe.

Answer 3

From experience I know this is not the way to make sure your son is being safe online. When i was younger my parents found out my password and read everything. I of course got in trouble for something as stupid as cussing in an email but i will never forget how violated i felt. The best thing for you to do is sit down with your son and tell him the dangers of the internet. With him learning from you how to be safe online he will not only respect you for the fact that you think he is mature enought to be smart about the internet, but he will know on his own what not to do online. Violating his privacy is just going to make him not trust you and rebel. Monitor his actions but trust him enough to know he will make the right decisions.

Answer 4

i dont think you can, but what u can do is go onto his account and theirs a filter so u can have certain emails with certain words in them filtered out so the email account will automatically delete them before they get into his inbox.... only other way is to be demanding and read all his emails first.



but i get emails like about viagra....and thats confusing cos im a girl....so y i need emails like that?? NO IDEA! but if ur son is over 13 id leave him to learn himself, if he gets emails like that DONT PANIC! its spam, its not because his been on any bad sites, like today im looking up slovakian translations and suddenly i click on a dictonary and suddenly BAM porn everywhere!!, it can be innocent actions that can cause these too.



maybe let him learn the hard way and let him now that if he gets ANY emails from people he dont know, tell him not to open them and call for u to check, but id reccomed imediate deletion anyways, if he doesnt know the person theirs no reason to read.

Answer 5

I think that the serious answer is to stop meddling in his private things. If you deemed important to "let him have" ? an email, then the rest comes with the territory. Your intentions may be cool but you come across as a demanding mother - "I will decide what he gets to read..."



There are ways to do what you suggest, but you're not getting them from me. Try talking (the old fashioned way of communicating and reasoning with people) to him as to what the good and the (plenty) bad is on the internet. If that is not possible, "Houston, we've got a problem".

Answer 6

I don't have kids, but I understand your concern. I think you should contact your internet provider and see what optins they have....I'm sure they have something. Also, I think it would be a good idea to tell your son that you will be checking his e-mail whenever you please. If he doesn't know and catches you checking it, it could out a damper on your relationship. Honesty is always the best policy. Why don't you just tell him you need to know his password so you can check his e-mail periodically?

Answer 7

You got an EXCELLENT answer from "dwightl.geo". It'll block certain sites and it would give you the feeling that you are NOT being intrusive to his privacy (hoping, that is, that you have a bit of that feeling??!!).

Answer 8

How you do it depends on what eMail program you are using.

Answer 9

Most kids instant message each other.



How To Record All Microsoft Messenger conversations (free)

http://www.protectiveparenting.com/web/html/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=12

http://www.msgpluslive.net/



protectiveparenting.com has a lot of useful information on keeping your children safe on the internet.

http://www.protectiveparenting.com/web/html/modules.php?name=Topics



You can also install software to collect information on the web sites visited, instant messages sent, log passwords, restrict access to adult sites, restrict use to certain hours, restrict number of hours per day, week , etc. etc.



The same software could be used to spy on you.



You will need to take number of steps to secure the computer. ----------------------------------------------------------------

Restricting access to your computer:



Most computers allow creating a BIOS password. Without a password your DVD/CD or floppy drives can not be used to boot the computer or reinstall Windows, bypassing all your Windows passwords. It also prevents the hard drives from being used, preventing entering Windows “safe mode” which can be used to modify your passwords.

The bios password can often be defeated.

http://www.protectiveparenting.com/web/html/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=10

http://pcworld.about.com/magazine/2204p103id114727.htm



How to clear an BIOS password:

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000235.htm



Lockdown PC

http://pcworld.about.com/magazine/2204p103id114727.htm



Windows XP passwords:

All accounts must have passwords. Each person must have a separate username and password to sign on the computer. You must have an “Administrative” account. Everyone else should have “Restricted Access” accounts.

Do not enable automatic logon.

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-350.html

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/accounts.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/switchusers.mspx



Turn off the guest account

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/tips/soleuser.mspx



Protect your computer from access when you are temporarily away from your computer by using a screen saver password

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/display_assign_screensaver_password.mspx?mfr=true



Each person (if you allow) should have a separate email account.



A determined person can break or disable or get around all passwords.

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How to make files and folders private in Windows XP so that only you have access to them

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930987



Vista Parental Contols

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/585539d0-0862-41e4-9b39-53467648efc51033.mspx

http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/it/2007/02/20/vistas-parental-controls-part-i/





Restricting Internet Access:

Your internet service provider probably provides a method to control access to the internet. I have ATT they have parental controls to limit access. Each user can have a separate account. A master password is required to change settings. Settings allow selecting for each user: Allowed times during the day; maximum hours of use; set ratings for types of content allowed to be viewed.

http://help.yahoo.com/sbc/tutorials/olp/tut_olp_index.html

http://help.yahoo.com/sbc/tutorials/ypc/pc_timer1.html



I am not recommending this software, but it pages clearly show setting up internet profiles and customizing the restrictions.

http://www.pchomesoft.com/keywords.html

http://www.pchomesoft.com/limit_kids_control_guide.html

http://www.pchomesoft.com/images/kta2.gif

http://www.pchomesoft.com/images/kta1.gif





Reviews of programs that restrict net access:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1986753,00.asp

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/internet-filtering-software-605/ratings/index.htm?resultPageIndex=1&resultIndex=3&searchTerm=parental%20controls

http://www.filterreview.com/pages/table1.htm

http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2001feb/gee20010215004355.htm

http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/



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Monitoring Software

http://www.monitoringsoftwarereviews.org/

http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,1874,1639158,00.asp

http://familyinternet.about.com/library/weekly/aa041901a.htm

http://monitoring-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

http://ask-leo.com/parental_monitoring_software_my_child_figured_out_how_to_turn_it_off_what_can_i_do.html

http://ezinearticles.com/?Monitoring-Software---What-You-Need-To-Know&id=454291

http://www.freesearching.com/monitor.htm

http://www.safeeyes.com/

http://dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/Child_Safety/

http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=parental&tag=srch





How To Record All Microsoft Messenger conversations (free)

http://www.protectiveparenting.com/web/html/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=12

http://www.msgpluslive.net/



How can I keep my kids safe from internet garbage

http://ask-leo.com/how_can_i_keep_my_kids_safe_from_internet_garbage.html



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protectiveparenting.com

http://www.protectiveparenting.com/web/html/modules.php?name=Topics

Free Publications:



Help with IM, Chat, AIM, etc.

Publications: Chat Conversation Logging

Publications: Disabling Chat

Publications: Chat Code Words and Acronymns

Publications: Web-based IM and Chat

Publications: Blogging and Forums



Lock down your computer

Publications: BIOS Password Protection

Publications: Prevent Children from Installing Programs

Publications: Setting Up User Accounts in Windows XP



Web filtering and control

Topic: Web filtering and control

Publications: Restrict web sites on Windows XP

Publications: What is a Proxy?

Publications: Lock down Internet Explorer History

Selecting Filtering Software For Your Family

http://familyinternet.about.com/cs/filteringsoftware/a/aafiltering.htm



Parent's Guide to Children's Online Safety

http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/onlinesafety.html





There are often ways to get around content restrictions and defeat filtering programs. Numerous web pages and chat rooms give tips on this subject. Kids have all the time in the world to experiment, you don’t.

http://duggmirror.com/security/A_Top_10_guide_to_accessing_blocked_websites_from_work/

http://cexx.org/censware.htm

http://www.totse.com/en/hack/understanding_the_internet/howtobypasscen170386.html

Answer 10

hm, Gmail has some tools that i think they are helpfull for you (in Option menu). try it out.