Norton Online Family

Symantec Corp has announced a public beta of its new web-based security and monitoring application, Norton Online Family. To help with the testing, Symantec has formed an advisory council that consist of experts in education, parenting, media and child health, and online safety, which will test out the beta and provide feedback. By using Norton Online Family, parents are able to control the web content that comes into the house, to view search words and phrases a child uses when online, and to have control over the child’s profile, preferences, and the amount of time they are allowed on the internet.

All activities recorded for the parent are in chronological order and display the web sites a child intended to visit. Other capabilities of the software enable parents to customize e-mail alerts that will warn them when a child has gone to a blocked site or passed their allowed time, and the ability to prevent the sending of personal information a child may try to release through e-mail, instant messaging or social networking. Also included is a built-in message function that lets the parents and children send each other messages in real-time.

Norton Online Family offers no stealth or hidden mode and will notify users when it’s active. No word has been given on when Symantec plans to have the beta testing finished, or what the final price will be.

by MacNN Staff