Microsoft launches child-friendly version of IE8

Plug-in Provides Links To Safety Information

Microsoft has joined forces with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) to release a new version of its Internet Explorer 8 web browser that features a number of online safety features for families.

Internet Explorer 8 Click Clever Click Safe comes with a web slice in the toolbar that offers kids one-click access to advice on staying safe online, including cyberbullying, viruses and hacking.

The browser also comes with a ‘Favourites’ bar including links to the CEOP website and Thinkuknow.co.uk, allowing parents to get information on restricting their children’s browsing, while the search bar allows users to instantly search the CEOP and its Internet safety partners’ sites for further safety information.

Microsoft spokesperson Matthew Bishop said: “Internet Explorer 8 Click Clever Click Safe has been designed with the sole purpose of providing young people and parents with easy ways of finding information on how to stay safer online.

“As more and more young people are learning, playing and communicating online, it is vital we provide the appropriate safety information as we know this is one of the most effective ways of helping to protect people.”

Internet Explorer 8 Click Safe Click Clever can be downloaded from the CEOP’s dedicated web page.

(Web users that don’t want to download the new version of the browser can opt to download an add-on that contains the CEOP tools.)

Related: This modified version of IE does not actively protect your children from the dangers of the Internet (it only provides direct access to important info + advice) and is not a form of Parental Control. My recommended tool for protecting children online is the free K9 from Blue Coat.
“K9 Web Protection is our free Internet filtering and control solution for the home. K9 puts YOU in control of the Internet so you can protect your kids.”

[note: While I absolutely agree that it is important to make information easy to find, I have to disagree with Matthew Bishop: providing information to people is probably the least effective ways of protecting them. Who reads anymore? Who thinks for themselves anymore? We’re too busy! (and expect ‘instant gratification’). Since we’ve become conditioned to expect out police departments to protect us, I ask you, isn’t it time for an “Internet Police”?]

Copyright 2007-2010 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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IE 8 – Protecting Your Privacy Online

Do you surf the Internet? Do you use Internet Explorer? According to the statistics, the odds are pretty good that you will answer “yes” and “yes”. The latest Internet Explorer, IE 8, has a feature I like very much, and I think everyone who surfs the net should be aware of — it’s called “InPrivate” filtering.

InPrivate helps protect your privacy by monitoring 3rd party content (read, advertisers) on the websites you visit, and helps you stop them from tracking you. My only complaint is it must be “enabled” each time you start IE, when IMHO it should be on by default! Please visit the InPrivate FAQ to learn more about this important feature. (or, How do I turn on InPrivate Browsing?)

I have written many articles containing advice and tips for getting the most out of Internet Explorer, and how to troubleshoot ‘glitches’ when they occur, and I have listed links to my more popular tips below. I invite you to scan the topic titles, and see if any catch your eye.
(The bottom link will present all my Internet Explorer articles by date.)

Restore Missing Favorites In IE*

Internet Explorer Runtime Error!!*

Quick Tip: Turn on ClearType in Internet Explorer

Can’t Download? Reset IE

How To Clear Your Cache

View Multiple Mail Identities in One Browser

Extracting text from Web pages*

Precautions for your Internet privacy*

Quick Tip: Customize new tabs behavior

IE’s Menu bar, Taskbar icons, and bad Updates*

Internet/E-mail Troubleshooting – JavaScript

What is a “homepage”?

How to use tabs in IE 7

Saving webpages as files

For more of my IE tips and repair advice, click here.

Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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I Do Not Want IE 8*

IE 8 is an “Important” Update, Yes, But I Don’t Want It

Sometimes we need to tell Windows Update to stop prompting us to install a particular Update.

When Microsoft has released important and/or critical Updates (aka “patches”) for us, Windows has various ways of letting us know, including a System Tray icon. [note: The normal route for accessing Update choices is Start >Windows Update, or Start >Programs >Windows Update. Click “View available updates”.]

I am a big fan of Updates. I (almost) always install them the moment I become aware of them. I use Secunia’s Personal Software Inspector to keep an eye on all my installed programs’ update state.. and I recommend you do too. Updates are ‘good’ and you want them.

Tip of the day: Manage Windows Updates prompts.
Currently, Microsoft Update is annoying me by continuously nagging me that there are Updates available. And when I click on the icon to see just what these updates are…

.. and I see that there is just one Update Microsoft wants me to install (the others only rate “optional”) — Internet Explorer 8.
Now, I understand why Microsoft wants us to be using a more secure browser (and I understand why it’s considered “important”) and I will upgrade from IE7 on most of my machines — but not all. Not yet.

So I right-click on the Update I don’t want to be nagged about and then click on “Hide update”.

That’s it. I’m done. Windows Update will no longer prompt me to install this (now) ‘hidden’ update. At a later date, to see Updates that I’ve hidden, I just click on “Show hidden updates”. I can undo my change.

Note: This technique can be used on troublesome Updates that cause incompatibility issues such as a BSOD. If a Windows Update install causes you trouble, and you need to uninstall it, the “Hide” tip won’t help you (it’s too late). Please refer to the 3rd answer in this article, IE’s Menu bar, Taskbar icons, and bad Updates*, to see how to remove Updates.
After you get that Update uninstalled, (then) use the Hide feature to prevent Windows Update from re-Installing it on you again.

To uninstall IE 8: Uninstalling IE 8 will automatically restore your older version. Please see Microsoft’s official How To, here, How do I uninstall or remove Internet Explorer 8?

Today’s free link(s): Panda Cloud Antivirus – Free Cloud Protection
Panda Security has launched a brand new type of antivirus, and Security blogger Bill Mullins has this excellent write up. “FREE, antivirus thin-client service for consumers which is able to process and block malware more efficiently than locally installed signature-based products.” Click the link for more..
[update: For more, also see Panda Cloud Antivirus – Is it netbook ready?]

Today’s free download: Adeona is the first Open Source system for tracking the location of your lost or stolen laptop that does not rely on a proprietary, central service. This means that you can install Adeona on your laptop and go.

Orig post: 4/30/09

Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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