I'm spending a LOT of time lately fixing people computers for issues directly related to how many kids use those computers. Its not that the kids have bad intentions, they just want to explore, communicate, learn and have fun like the rest of us. But advertisers out there are taking advantage of kids as a gateway into these computers.

After having just dealt with another such computer - I sat down and typed this out, and am going to give it out to many folks I know.

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Computer Security – With Kids
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--Don't try to outsmart or outflank kids with computer security. Unlike us, our kids are growing up around computers. If you try to make it so they can't do something they want to do? They will find away around it, possibly causing even more problems along the way.

------Passwords, security software, parental control software, etc . . . do you really want to engage in endless and escalating electronic warfare? Are you confident you know more about computers than your kids (and their friends), and always will?

--Accountability is strategically better than electronic warfare. Kids need to share in the costs and/or consequences of computer problems they may have facilitated. Through loss of computer access, helping pay money for troubleshooting/repairs and etc.

--That being said, there are things you and your kids can do to help make your computer more resistant to problems:

--Keep your anti-virus software active and updated. Don't ever run anything you've downloaded or been given without first scanning it for infections.

--If you are on high-speed Internet, keep a Firewall running all the time.

--File sharing software (Kazaa, Morpheus, BearShare, Bit-Torrent, P2P, etc) is an open doorway into your computer. If your kids (or you) decide to use such software, be very careful and cautious. And be ready to deal with negative consequences.

--Internet chat software which is always on, where anybody can pop up a ''hello'' on the screen at anytime, is another big security risk. Another open gateway into your system.

--Keeping Anti Spy-ware/Ad-ware software updated and doing occasional scans is important.

--Be careful of any ''free'' little tool on the Internet. Perhaps things like Weatherbug - that update you on the weather, or watch the prices of items, or give you sports team scores? They have to pay their programmers somehow, usually by installing ad-ware/spy-ware software on your computer.

--Anything that pops up onto your screen on the Internet, perhaps offering a service – or warning of danger to your computer? You don't want it. Don't even click their ''no'' button, thats often a trick. Just shut the window down.

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Hope this helps somebody out there!