Parental control software on a child's technology and their computers, in particular, is an absolute must. Here is the reason why: It gives you, the parent, tools to begin to understand where the kid is going and what they are doing online. It allows them to see, what's their usage. It stops that, oops, they stumbled upon that site I didn't want them to go to. It creates some checks and balances between you, the parent, and the child. It's very important to do this earlier, rather than later. It is much easier for a 7 year old to interact and manage and deal with parental control software, than it is for a 13 year old. Lastly, the most important piece, if you put parental control software on your child's computer, you have to take ownership in administering it. You can't just expect to turn it on and it works. It is a process that you, the parent, needs to control.