Not sure if this is the right heading for this message, but this is where I have been gaining all of my support so far, if only by reading other people posts.
I have been thought a very rough period of time, with my friends and family over the past year and have been looking for answers to questions I’m not sure about, if that makes any sense (no reading it again it doesn’t).
Still I am getting through it now but over the past couple of months, I have been treated very strangely by my dad. We have changed the computer system at home and even though I have my own computer with password, the internet goes thought a server. I’m now worried that all of my web pages have been recorded on the server and my dad has seen what I’ve been looking at. Is this possible?
I’m really scared of what he might think and if he will tell my mum or anyone else for that matter. I can’t possible ask him without him drawing attention to it and then him checking if he hasn’t already.
I now don’t know what to do, I don’t want my parents to know my problems because I am trying to work though them my self.
Help.



Hi,
I don't know an awful lot about computers but I think your dad may be able to check what you are looking at.
You say in your post that you Dad has been acting strangely, maybe he is concerned because he can tell that you are worried about things but doesn't know what. He may have your best interests at heart even though it may not feel like it at the moment.
Do you have anybody else you can talk to about your problems, the internet is good but sometimes you get more appropriate advice from people who know your situation, could an aunt or uncle help, or a teacher, you could also try childline, they would help you sort through your problems and be able to speak to your dad should you need to.
Your Dad may not be looking at your records, but you shouldn't need to go through this alone, please try and talk to somebody.
I don't know your family situation but sometimes when Dads are worried they act in the wrong way (mum's as well) he may get angry because he's frustrated that he can't take the worry away from you, do you think you could talk to him or your mum, it might not be as difficult as you think.
Take Care
SaffronXX



Hi Tobeanangel,
Unfortunately computers and networks are wide and varied and can be set up in a large variety of ways, so I can't give you a definitive answer.
It will depend on how the server is set up. If it's a basic setup then it will just be acting as a router onto the internet i.e. just a way for your computer to connect to the internet whilst other computers also connected to the server do the same. On the other hand if it's set up with the right software, usually some sort of firewall software, then this can be configured to allow/disallow access to certain sites as well as monitor who is accessing what website URL's.
I don't know who set up your network and PC's, butif your connected onto an internal network, then it's possible that someone has the "Administrator" access onto your computer (unless you've set that up yourself with your own password). Therefore it could be possible for someone else on the network to access your own PC from theirs if they have that administrator access. When you're using the internet your computer does something with the web pages you visit called "caching". That means that it stores a copy of them on your hard disk for a pre-set period of days, so that if you return to the same web pages they will appear more quickly for you.
If you're using Internet Explorer go to "Tools" -> "Internet Options" and click on the "Settings..." button inside the "Temporary Internet files" box. After this click on the "View Files..." button to see what web pages and cookies are on your machine (there'll probably be loads of them). The cookies you probably want to keep as they track your user id's and stuff on various websites and help you to log back into them, although you can delete them if you wish, but you may find you have to log back in to some websites when you first visit them again (those that require usernames and passwords).
If you want to clear down all the files, the easiest way it to return to the first window that you got through from "Tools" -> "Internet Options" and click the "Delete Files" button.
Another option inside the Settings... is you can change the amount of space that your computer uses to store web pages. If you put this down to the lowest number (1Mb) then only the very very recent web pages will be kept, but this may slow down your viewing of websites just a little.
At the end of the day, parents will be parents and if they are checking up on what web sites you are visiting then it's probably because they are caring about you and want to make sure you're not getting involved in anything dodgy or visiting any of those silly chat rooms where people don't really know who they are talking to. Depends how computer literate your dad is? If he only knows the basics and he is checking your websites then he probably only knows that you've been looking around our page, but won't know spefically what discussions you've been looking at.
Hope that helps and I hope it makes sense.
;)