Parental Controls
AIM
Parents are concerned about their children accessing the internet and chatting with strangers need to make sure AIM is not installed on the computer. AIM is America Online Instant Messenger. Don't get confused with the instant messenger that is built into the software for America Online. You don't have to have an account for this one. AIM is a free service that runs on its own outside of America Online
You can set parental controls on the instant messenger that is built into America Online but you cannot set parental controls with AIM that is external to America Online. You are able to block people from contacting you but anyone that has access to the AIM account has access to the settings and can change them. The AIM software is free and can be downloaded and installed without an account with America Online. You can do chats, send and receive files, and do video chats with the software. Because of that, it defeats any parental controls you try to set for the teenager.
I don't use the other messenger programs such as Yahoo, so I don't know if they have a way to set parental controls or not. I have emailed America Online about the issue of parental controls but never got a response. I think there should be a way to set parental controls on it. If you like to see parental controls to be added to AIM, contact AOL and let them know. If they get numerous requests for it, they may do it.