How to handle porn spam that occur in a child's email account?

[ndelaware]

I set up Hotmail "Kids" accounts for my daughters and they have never recieved any spam whatsoever. I know this because I open thier email for them. Then if it is a friend they can write back. They are not allowed to check thier email by themselves, nor are they allowed on the internet without parental supervision.

 

[DaParkers]

Isn't 6 kind of young to be concerned with email? Email isn't bad, but shouldn't a 6 year old be concerned with other things. Our children aren't children anymore. They're like mini adults. Cell phones, computers, and video games are contributing to our kids being fat, lazy, and generally growing up too fast. Sorry for the little rant. THAT WAS NOT DIRECTED TOWARD THE OP! Just me orating my view.

 

[BethanyF]

my son has an AOL screen name, I think we set it up when he was 6. He has received maybe 15 emails in 3 years. None of them spam.
I can control who is allowed to email him, and who he can email. Same with IM's, I control everything.
So far, he uses the computer very responsibly. He comes home from school with site recommendations from his teacher, and sites they have visited at school.
IMO, 6 or 7 is not too young. They start using the computer and internet at school in kindergarten. Sending emails is just another way to practice their typing and writing skills. This year, 4th grade, he is allowed to do some of his homework using Word and bringing it in either printed on on a zip drive.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I set up Hotmail "Kids" accounts for my daughters and they have never recieved any spam whatsoever. I know this because I open thier email for them. Then if it is a friend they can write back. They are not allowed to check thier email by themselves, nor are they allowed on the internet without parental supervision.

Good to know! Thanks!

 

[Forevryoung]

I have never had porn spam and neither have my kids.
At 6 I would monitor them and begin teaching them computer rules.

My youngest is 10 and very savvy now...It blows me away.
Literally....she has surpassed me!

That's exactly what should be done- technology like email has become a tool (video games are not a tool). The new way of communicating. Instead of having a pen pal and writing by hand, the message can be sent instantaneously.

The OP is not looking to have their daughters sit on the computer/internet for long amounts of time (ala webkins and other misc. online activities) but is looking for a safe way to expose his children to the magic communication that has become every day reality for the world.

Today's children are growing up in an environment much different than any of us ever did- just because we waited until a certain age to have an email account or learn to use a computer doesn't mean that it is not appropriate with the changing technology. I think that "spam" blocking has become much, much more sensitive in the past few years and allowing children their own email address is a privilege that is rather "easy" to allow in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Isn't 6 kind of young to be concerned with email? Email isn't bad, but shouldn't a 6 year old be concerned with other things. Our children aren't children anymore. They're like mini adults. Cell phones, computers, and video games are contributing to our kids being fat, lazy, and generally growing up too fast. Sorry for the little rant. THAT WAS NOT DIRECTED TOWARD THE OP! Just me orating my view.

I see your point, but at the same time, it's kind of like sending a letter to them, only more exciting. Besides, all these things like webkinz, and Ty Girlz... I think that they use emails to send friends "gifts"...

If they want to get a head start on being comfortable on a computer, I am all for it. My kids take gymnastics, and are scheduled to start taking Tae Kwon Do in just a few weeks. I think they get lots of exercise.

So, I think it is the best of both worlds. ( Except my concern about the nasty emails, which, through this thread, I am now much better informed. )

 

[Papa Deuce]

That's exactly what should be done- technology like email has become a tool (video games are not a tool). The new way of communicating. Instead of having a pen pal and writing by hand, the message can be sent instantaneously.

The OP is not looking to have their daughters sit on the computer/internet for long amounts of time (ala webkins and other misc. online activities) but is looking for a safe way to expose his children to the magic communication that has become every day reality for the world.

Today's children are growing up in an environment much different than any of us ever did- just because we waited until a certain age to have an email account or learn to use a computer doesn't mean that it is not appropriate with the changing technology. I think that "spam" blocking has become much, much more sensitive in the past few years and allowing children their own email address is a privilege that is rather "easy" to allow in the grand scheme of things.

Well, my kids do play webkinz, but we absolutely do limit the amount of time....

PS.... now, the question is, how do I get my WIFE away from the webkinz?

 

[Imzadi]

Another recommendation here for Gmail. My yahoo account gets a gazillion spam & porn but Gmail, only once in a blue moon gets through and once I hit the Report Spam button, I never see the same email again.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I set up Hotmail "Kids" accounts for my daughters and they have never recieved any spam whatsoever. I know this because I open thier email for them. Then if it is a friend they can write back. They are not allowed to check thier email by themselves, nor are they allowed on the internet without parental supervision.

How do you set up a "kids" account? I onlt saw regular adult accounts, as far as I could tell....

Thanks.

 

[DisGirlAllie]

Get her a Gmail. I've been using it for four years and STILL haven't gotten a single spam e-mail and I'm 12! And I've only gotten one but it never went to my inbox. Straight to my spam folder. take it from a 12 year old. Gmail WILL work.

 

[SplshMtn99]

We have AOL and my son has had an account for years. No porn. I just block all the appropriate stuff and say exactly who can send him email.

Also with AOL, you can set it up so they can only receive email & IM's from the names that you list as ok names.

AOL is free now.
You set up a parental account for yourself, and child accounts for them. Only you can change settings. That is until they get older & outsmart you.

Even on my parental AOL account, where I have spam controls set at its weakest filter, I can't remember ever getting porn. I get some prescription spam, but it goes to the spam folder where you can check them if you wish to.

I hardly ever get actual spam making it thru to my mail waiting to be read folder.

 

[MAKmom]

You can get AOL for about $10.00 a month. I have never got a porn email & I have it set up for 17years & under. I have had the account for at least 10 years.

 

[SplshMtn99]

AOL is free if you have your own provider / connection thru someone else....which he does. Last year they changed it to free & you were supposed to call up & get your account set to free.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Get her a Gmail. I've been using it for four years and STILL haven't gotten a single spam e-mail and I'm 12! And I've only gotten one but it never went to my inbox. Straight to my spam folder. take it from a 12 year old. Gmail WILL work.

I have Gmail for myself... 3 accounts..... My one account averages 15 spam per day. Now they almost always end up in my spam box, but occasionally one does get through to my main box.

And when I say "porn", I don't actually mean photos, I mean X Rated language about adult stuff.

Maybe I can make it so that my kids could not access their SPAM box?

 

[xCourxCorex]

I've never had a problem with hotmail and spam. I think in the 6-7 years I've had a hotmail account, I can probably say I've gotten spam mail (not porn spam) about 10 times.

Because they are so young, you probably moniter their time/activities on the computer closely, but make sure that they do not sign up for any websites that you do not look into / help them sign up for. Sometimes when you create a new account, you can forget to check off that box "yes i want emails from so and so..." and I find that's where the junk comes in.

Like I said, spam in general is not a big issue on my hotmail account, and I've never had any porn spam while using it!

 

[Forevryoung]

I have Gmail for myself... 3 accounts..... My one account averages 15 spam per day. Now they almost always end up in my spam box, but occasionally one does get through to my main box.

And when I say "porn", I don't actually mean photos, I mean X Rated language about adult stuff.

Maybe I can make it so that my kids could not access their SPAM box?

Hmm maybe you visit sites that trigger those emails

 

[Imzadi]

Maybe I can make it so that my kids could not access their SPAM box?

You might be able to do this in a two step process. I also have about 3 Gmail accounts that I use for various business & personal stuff. However, I have all the mail in two of the boxes forwarded to the third, (with a duplicate email staying in the original account,) so I can easily read them without having to open three separate accounts several times each day.

Only when I want to respond to a particular mail do I have to go to the original account. (Although, I think I can set the third account to send mail so that the original email address is listed as the one I'm sending mail from. Check the Options tab.)

This mail forwarding feature is only with Gmail. AOL & Yahoo do not have this feature - at least not for free. My emails gets forwarded - but the Spam does not! It stays in the original accounts' Spam folders to be deleted.

 

[DISUNC]

Hmm maybe you visit sites that trigger those emails

My thoughts too!

AOl or MSN can both be set up so that the kids can only see emails for predetermined emails names! And you get a report of everything they see and do online!

But honestly they are really too young to be online by themselves! ya just dont know anymore!

 

[mickeylove2]

My 6 yo DD has a gmail account, and to those that think 6 is too young, she has been using the computer and getting on the internet since she was 4 and in Pre-k...at school. The email account was 1 step in her earning a try-it for Girl Scouts. In school they get on pbskids, nickjr, and other kids websites for games and learning activities.

 

[ndelaware]

How do you set up a "kids" account? I onlt saw regular adult accounts, as far as I could tell....

Thanks.

Where it asks for the "Birthdate", when you put in the age of a child it allows you to set up the account but it asks for the adults email address as they are the account administrator. The account will not activate until the adult administrator responds to the email sent to the adults email and goes in to finalize the child account.