Windows Live Family Safety

Infobox Software
name = Windows Live Family Safety



caption = Windows Live Family Safety homepage
latest release version = 2008 (Build 2.0.5817.2)
latest release date = 2007-11-06
latest preview version = 2009
latest preview date = 2008-09-17
developer = Microsoft
operating_system = Microsoft Windows
genre = Parental Control
license =
website = http://fss.live.com

Windows Live Family Safety (previously "Windows Live OneCare Family Safety"), developed by Microsoft, is a free parental control service for Microsoft Windows under the Windows Live brand. The program, which is roughly similar to Windows Vista's parental control feature, allows users to set guidelines and restrictions for children surfing on the internet and allows parents to monitor their children’s web activities.

History

A preview of Windows Live Family Safety was first offered to 3000 beta testers in March 2006. After over a year and a half of testing, the final version was released on November 6, 2007.

Features

Windows Live Family Safety includes features commonly found in most parental control programs, such as search restrictions, website blocking, content filtering, and web activity monitoring reports. In addition, Family Safety also provides expert guidance from respected child organizations (for example, American Academy of Pediatrics) on age appropriate settings and online activities.

From the release of Windows Live Messenger 8.5, Family Safety also features contact management, where parents will be able to create "allow" lists for Windows Live Contacts services to help prevent their children from communicating with unknown contacts and instead only communicate with contacts that parents have approved.

Family Safety allows remote access to its features from anywhere in the world.

The final version of Family Safety can be installed using Windows Live Installer.

Limitations

Windows Live Family Safety requires the user to create a Windows Live ID for each person the user wants to control. Users must also separately login to Family Safety when they login under a Windows Account so their permissions and privileges can be set. Additionally, child accounts under monitoring by Family Safety may only access the classic version of Windows Live Hotmail.

Family Safety currently only supports 32-bit versions of Windows.

System requirements

Windows Live Family Safety can only run on Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later. It also requires Internet Explorer 6 or later or Firefox 1.5 or later in order to function.

See also

* Windows Live
* Windows Live OneCare

References

* [http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Introduces-Windows-Live-OneCare-Family-Safety-Beta-34312.shtml Softpedia: Microsoft Introduces Windows Live Family Safety Beta]
* [http://familysafety.spaces.live.com/ Windows Live Family Safety Blog]

External links

* [http://fss.live.com Family Safety from Windows Live OneCare homepage]
* [http://fss-beta.live.com Windows Live Family Safety beta homepage]