Defining Chat Tracking

Chat Tracking Chat and Instant Messaging are the most popular forms of online communication for teenagers. It has even been reported by several news agencies that chat is used by teens more than adults.

It’s a great way to stay in touch with friends and family. Interestingly enough, teens have mastered the art of having multiple chats running at the same time. Could this be the technology that replaces the countless hours that were spent talking on a telephone? I do not know the answer to that, but it seems that more and more, kid’s use the Internet to chat with friends because they can talk to more than one person at a time. In fact, they can even create their own personal chat room and invite who ever they want.

They may have meant for that chat room to be only for friends, but there is also a downside to doing this.

What is the downside?

Simply put, teenagers may embrace chat and Instant messaging because they can gossip for hours on end, but sooner or later a stranger is going to see their chat profile and screen name and possibly approach them. That is not always a bad thing, but don’t you think you need to know what these strangers are saying?

Example:

Your child uses Myspace Chat and is talking to friends at school about homework and all of a sudden they receive a message from a stranger. What does the stranger want? That’s a common question that has several answers. They may want to talk about the interests that your child has posted on Myspace, or they may want to chat about inappropriate things that no child should ever have to be subject to.

As Innocent as Chat can be, there is still room for inapproprite activity.
The fact is, if you do not have a computer tracking software installed, you really do not know what they are chatting and instant messaging about. For all you know, they could be making arrangements to meet in person. We all know how impressionable teenagers are and sometimes it only takes a little creative peer pressure from someone to manipulate them.

What can you do?

Well, you could prevent your child from using a computer, but that is not really a viable option because a lot of school systems now expect a child to use the computer and Internet for homework assignments.

Or, you could always stand over your teenagers shoulder whenever they are chatting, but as stated earlier, that could take up a lot of time because they chat and IM so much, not to mention that you would need to take up speed reading because they will bounce between messages.

I am sure you understand how silly those methods are, but there is another option.

Spector Pro - Chat Tracking Software Install a computer tracking software that will record everything that is done on the computer. In this particular instance you would want to make sure that the program has comprehensive chat tracking capabilities along with it.

Many chat loggers on the market claim to record chat and instant messaging in AIM, AOL, MSN, and ICQ, but what a lot of them do not tell you is that they may not be able to record the latest versions of those respective programs.

Also, you should always consider if the tracking software will record both sides of the chat conversation. If you use one that only records one side of a chat conversation, it would not be much better than having a basic Keylogger.

If you are a parent and you want to know what your teenager is chatting about, we suggest that you give Spector Pro a shot. Spector Pro will record BOTH sides of chat and instant messaging from all of the popular chat programs kid’s use and many more. The chat tracking tool is so advanced, that it will even record java based chat (also known as Lite Chat) . There is no other computer tracker in the world that can make that claim, except for SpectorSoft products.

In addition to having an outstanding record of all chat that has occurred on the computer you need to track, Spector Pro, on your command, will ALSO block chat and instant messaging at times YOU choose. This provides you with an “All In One” solution that provides the safest level parental control available.

We believe that parents need to spend time with their children, especially when they are surfing the Internet, but we also understand that you cannot always be present when your child is online. Spector Pro helps to bridge that gap, by monitoring what your child does so that you can review this at a later time and educate them with regards to Internet Safety.

In closing, chat and instant messaging has many benefits, but does have its downsides. With that being said, Spector Pro will allow you to know who, when, and what your teenagers are chatting about, and if you see trouble coming, you can simply block them from using chat programs.

Learn More about Spector Pro