Windows 7 : Managing a User Account - Limiting Computer Access

Many children have access to computers. Some of these computers, such as those located at a school or library, are regulated by network domain controls or by the oversight of a teacher, librarian, or other concerned adult. Other computers, especially those located in private homes, might not be regulated.

If you have a child in your home, that child has access to your computer. The child's level of interest is a function of his or her age and of the computing behavior you model. The pretty lights on the computer case make it an object of fascination for a very young child. (Note to computer manufacturers: please stop putting pretty lights on the power button! They attract two-year olds who don't care whether you've recently saved your work.) If you are a member of the ever-increasing population of "information workers" and your computer consumes your attention for several hours a day, your child might assume that he or she should also have access to it. Older children are attracted more by what they can do with the computer than by the machine itself. Many excellent computer-based educational programs are available for children of all ages, as are a plethora of entertainment options that are free if you don't count the price of the Internet connection. Unfortunately, there is also a massive amount of easily available content that is inappropriate for children. You can control the functionality and content available to your child by setting up a restricted user account specifically for him or her.

If you want to allow or encourage your child to use the computer but also want to ensure that his or her computer use meets certain criteria, you can create a standard user account for the child's use and apply restrictions to that account. By using the Parental Controls feature of Windows 7, you can limit the computer access of a user account in the following ways:

• Time limits You can specify the time period during which the user account can be logged on to the computer. At the end of the designated time period, Parental Controls will cause the account to log off of Windows, and the account will be unavailable until the next designated time period.

• Game restrictions You can restrict the user from playing specific games or games with ratings that fall into specific age or content categories.

• Program restrictions You can restrict the user from using any installed program other than those you specifically permit access to.

The Parental Controls feature is similar to User Account Control, in that a password can be entered to bypass the limits you set. For example, when a user attempts to start a program that is restricted by Parental Controls, a dialog box appears. You can allow one-time access to the program by clicking a link in the dialog box and entering your password.

You can apply Parental Controls to any standard user account.

Important Anyone with an administrator account on your computer can set up, alter, or remove Parental Controls. For the controls to be fully effective, ensure that all administrator accounts are protected with a password.

See Also For information about restricting Windows Internet Explorer from displaying certain types of content and limiting access to objectionable Web content.

In this exercise, you'll specify the hours during which a specific user account can be used to log on to your computer.

Important Administrator account credentials are necessary to complete this exercise.

SET UP You don't need any practice files to complete this exercise. Use the Angel account you modified in the previous exercise. Display Control Panel in Category view, and then follow the steps.

CLEAN UP Turn off the Parental Controls if you don't want to use them, and close the Parental Controls window.