FAQS

General

• What is GuardChild?
  GuardChild is your one-stop source for the best child protection software (monitoring and web filter/blocking software), a large database of websites and articles on current information about online communication, Internet threats, child safety, educational resources, homework sites, and an online community blog for parents and guardians.
  
  
• Why buy software from GuardChild?
  GuardChild has independently reviewed the most trusted online safety software products and selected the 10 best to help you choose the right one for you and your family. Use our comparison matrix to select the features you need, whether you want to record emails, track instant messages and chats, filter content, or block Internet access. You can also purchase and download the monitoring or filtering software for incredible savings and immediate protection.
  
  
• What is the GuardChild Promise?
  The GuardChild Promise is Protection, Education, and Community. We offer your family the promise of online safety through the best child protection software available, up-to-date information about Internet threats and resources, and a supportive community for concerned parents like you. We want to help keep your children safe-whatever it takes-and we promise to provide the tools and resources to do it.
  
  
  

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• What will GuardChild do with my personal information?
  GuardChild will never rent, sell, or otherwise distribute your information unless required by law.
  
  
• Who is behind GuardChild?
  GuardChild was founded in 2006 by a team of parents concerned by the recent explosion of news reports about child predators frequenting Internet chat rooms and preying on children. For more information, please visit our "About Us" page.
  
  
• Is it really necessary to monitor my child online?
  Not only is it necessary, it's your job. Studies have repeatedly shown that children and teens are consciously and unconsciously engaging in dangerous behavior online, and the vast majority does not tell their parents. Polls of parents and children reveal a grave disconnect between parent perceptions of their children's activities, and what the children are actually doing. Computer monitoring software and a strong web filter are the best defensive tools against identity theft, online predators, harassment and cyber bullying, pornography and violent content, illegal file sharing, and much more. Our products allow you to know what your children are doing online, obtain their passwords, see their web searches, know who they are talking to, and know what is being said in emails, IMs, MySpace, Chat rooms, blogs, and online gaming sites.
  
  
• Should I tell my family that I've installed monitoring software?
  Some parents do, some parents don't, and both choices are completely valid. Informing your children that their activities are being monitored is often a useful form of protection in itself. However, many of our monitoring products are capable of running secretly so your child will never know one is being used.
  
  
• I'm ready to buy, but I keep winding up on someone else's site. Why?
  GuardChild is an affiliate partner of the software publishers, which allows us to offer incredible products to you at a steep savings. When you decided to purchase, and click the "Buy Now" button, you will be redirected to the publisher's site to purchase the software. You will need to return to GuardChild's site in order to sign up for membership in our Community, to access benefits if you are already a member or to use other features on our website.

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Blog

• How do I access the GuardChild Community Blog?
  To access the GuardChild Blog, you must first become a GuardChild Community member.
  
  
• Why should I submit an article to the GuardChild Blog?
  Knowledge is the best tool for protecting your family online. We believe everyone is an expert about their own families with valuable insights, information, and experiences. Submit your questions, fears, successes, and thoughts-you will find you're not alone, and that your submissions might help protect others.
  
  
• How do I submit an article to the GuardChild Blog?
  See our Submission Guidelines for information on how to submit an article for potential publication in the blog. GuardChild will review all submissions and decide which will be published.
  
  
• May I send in questions to be submitted to the Blog?
  Yes, as a member of our Community, questions are welcomed and will be answered by a GuardChild team member or by another parent if their response adequately addresses the question.

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What is the Knowledge Center?

The GuardChild Knowledge Center is a collection of online-safety information so crucial we wanted to make it freely available to all parents and guardians. It includes:

• Everything you need to research, compare, and buy from the 10 best Child Monitoring Software products and web filters available
• Toll-free Resources
• Industry Links
• News Articles
• Child Internet Safety Articles and Links
  o Is My Child OK Online
  o The Internet and Children: Finding the Right Balance
  
• Internet Crime and Abuse Statistics
• How to Select Child Protection Software
  o What Makes a Good Internet Filter
  o Monitoring Software Definitions
• Recommended Reading

GuardChild Community Membership

• Why should I become a GuardChild member?
  If you, like millions of other parents, are concerned about keeping your family safe from Internet predators, cyber bullying, sexting and exposure to online pornography and violence, you should join the GuardChild Community. We offer the best and latest child-safety information available, great discounts on cutting-edge computer control software available for immediate download, and a safe place for parents like you to interact.

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• How do I use the Glossary?
  The glossary is a key to some of the most popular online slang, initialisms, acronyms and emoticons. It is arranged alphabetically, with numbers and symbols at the beginning of the list and emoticons (pictures made from keyboard characters) at the end. Remember that certain common phrases often have variants that change the spelling, and that numbers can stand in for letters or words.
  
  
• How do I access the hundreds of Websites and Articles you advertise?
  In order to access the Websites and Articles, you must first become a GuardChild Community member. Once you are a member, you log on to GuardChild's website and go to the Websites and Articles page. The websites are separated into categories. Select the category you are interested in and click on a link within that category. To view an article, go to the Article category and click on the one you want to read.
  
  
• I've encountered a broken/dead Link. What should I do?
  Please contact us to report any broken or dead links.
  
  
• I can't remember my member login/password.
  Go to the Member Login page, enter your email address and click on the link 'Forgot your Password". You password will be emailed to you. If you still have questions contact us.

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Products

• What is the difference between filtering and monitoring software?
  Computer monitoring software, "Spy software", "Spyware or "Surveillance software" keeps logs of all computer activities, allowing you to see who is doing what on your computer, and for how long. Common features include key logging (recording all keys pressed), web search logging, recording of incoming and outgoing emails, IMs, and chats, and screen shots. Some monitoring software includes Remote Monitoring, this allows you to monitor your child from any computer outside your home. Web filtering software does much more than just filter websites by keyword or URL. Often called computer-control software, common features include time allowances and controls, program blocking, and email/chat/IM filtering. Our featured product, WebWatcher, combines the best features of monitoring and filtering software for all-around protection.
  
  
• How do I know what software I need?
  Our comparison matrix will help you select the features you need, whether you want to record emails, track instant messages and chats, filter content, or block Internet access. Take into account your operating system, the number of computers you will be monitoring, whether you will be monitoring remotely, the age of your children, and your family's protection needs. Generally speaking, younger children need more web filtering protection, whereas monitoring becomes important as your children grow up. For more information about choosing age-appropriate protection for your children, please visit the Knowledge Center.
  
  
• How do I apply my GuardChild-member discount to my software purchase?
  You will automatically receive any discounts GuardChild has established with its Affiliate Partners when you purchase and download your software.
  
  
• I can't install my software/I'm encountering a problem with my software/I have a question about my software.
  For product-specific problems or questions, please see our Contact page for the product-publisher's technical support information.
  
  
• I am dissatisfied with my software. Can I return it?
  You will need to read and follow the manufacturer's return policy. No software can be returned to GuardChild because we are not direct sellers. Our role is to provide customers with access to the products on our site.
  

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