Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Chat roulette uses the web browser

You going to block that program from being used?

I say if you have to open the iMac and disconnect the cam if you can't find the script
 
If you are that concerned about what they do on the computer then use OpenDNS. You can block just about anything. Check it out.
 
Just my 2 cents

I am a father of two boy's 8,4. What I did was the only computer that they can use is in the Den that is wide open to the home. And to be honest I only use prental contol for web sites for them. For me building there trust was important with computers for all there friends have them plus Ipod's Ect.

I feel that your doughter should be able to use with the computer as she wants as long as she knows that you know what she is doing with it!!

my next door nabor has 3 Girls and they have the ipod touch and they use things like facetime with there friends. I am sure that your Doughter has friends that she would like to do so with also. letting her know that you let her but know what she is doing with it build trust with you.

I am like you and watch my kids like a hawk. I almost always am out side with them when they want to play out side. Overprotective YES I am!! but at the same time I know if I dont let them do somthing it makes them want to do it more!!

So I try to let them do what they want but at the same time let them know I know what they are always doing.

My 8 year old does facetime with his friends from time to time. and they have fun doing so. But he knows I can can hear everything that he does online. I do monitor his friends list and have it locked to only people in his friends list that he can talk to. Same with Skype.


I wish you luck with what you do with the system. And am sure that you are rasing you girl right!!

I say all this for if you compleatly bock it I am sure she will find away around what you have blocked, The kids are smarter on this tech stuff!!
 
A totally pointless undertaking. A web-can can be had for few euro at every corner. The point is, if you want to control what your daughter is doing with the computer, you will have to restrict her access to it.
 
Restrict who she chats with via parental controls and with a limited account, she should be fine. Honestly, never had parental controls as a kid(I'm 20 now) and I turned out okay. But hey, everyone parents different, nice to see that you care at least!
 
A totally pointless undertaking. A web-can can be had for few euro at every corner. The point is, if you want to control what your daughter is doing with the computer, you will have to restrict her access to it.

I think this is really the best approach. HOWEVER...

If I were you, I would simply get Apple Remote Desktop and set up that computer to be controlled/observed at any time. It's completely transparent, they don't know it's happening. Then just tell them that you have the ability to watch what they're doing.

So...you're not cutting them off at the knees, you're letting them know that Big Brother is watching them to make sure they stay safe.

To me that's a better lesson to teach than "you can't do whatever".
 
Parental controls, yes.
Computer in a public place, yes.
Disable iSight, yes.
Monitoring software, NO!

Totally agree here. I'm the parent of a 13 year old and she knows that daddy is Old School. Her and her friends can try anything she wants but I will eventually get the game on it. It was funny a few weeks ago. Guy came by that wanted to date my daughter.

Instead of the usual primal, beat the crap out of the challenging male, my calmness set him off even more. Mentioned a few pieces of code that I wrote that he knew about and even showed him a few features on his Android phone he didn't know about. This kid is going to be very nice to her. ;)
 
They will not have a computer in their bedroom, regardless of their age.

What about 18 ? 21 ?

Anything you strictly forbid now, they will go crazy on when they first get a taste of it, and then it's beyond your control. It's not healthy.
 
So this is what your daughter gets for her birthday; a user account on your iMac?
 
Talk to your daughter

I understand your concern, but you aren't helping her enough with such a manuver. I strongly encourage you to improve your relationship with your daughter. A good friend of mine just got divorced and might not have if she'd learned more about healthy relationships from her parents.
 
just remove the “QuickTimeUSBVDCDIgitizer.component” file from your computer’s HardDriveName > System > Library > QuickTime folder, restart your Mac and try again. Your built-in iSight should no longer work with any app.,

that should sort your problem if it works , ..found it after 1 sec google

or just bring the mac to apple and get a genius to remove the camera permanent and get a usb /firewire cam instead if YOU or your better half needs one
 
or just bring the mac to apple and get a genius to remove the camera permanent and get a usb /firewire cam instead if YOU or your better half needs one

And don't forget to search her room for $8 USB webcams. She'll appreciate your love.
 
i would ,if i would have kids just get them iMac G3's , or a mac mini , they are cheap , and dont come with webcam and once the kids earn their own money they can buy themselves new Mac's
as even the best parental control can be bypassed easy once the kids know how
 
Last edited:
And don't forget to search her room for $8 USB webcams. She'll appreciate your love.

Totally true.. what use is getting rid of an internal webcam if she can just buy an external one for a few dollars. For some reason I don't like this approach anyway.. I grew up using computers from an early age and got my own computer in my room when I was 11 and my parents were always supportive of computer use especially for education. I ended up creating websites at 11/12 and assembling my own computers at 12/13.

I believe that the approach to computers that parents should take is not so much preventive, but rather educative, as you would with sex talk.
 
i was lucky when i was at that age there was no such thing like chatrooms in fact Apple did just get its name and they did still build the apple 1 in the garage of steve's parents...great days , i should have done more intense computing stuff back then instead of some games written in basic(self written)just for fun ...maybe my name would now stand in between steve and bill on the forbes list if i had been more serious about it :(
maybe my parents should have forced me more into computing instead of sending me to school to learn unnecessary stuff like french which i never really learned anyway
 
Last edited:
Next week is my daughter's birthday. I promised her I would create a user account on my iMac for her. Obviously it will have all the bells and whistles (monitoring software). However is there a way to disable the iSight camera in her user account. I'm willing to disable the iSight completely. I hope you understand and can help. :)


iMac, Processor 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, OS 10.6.7

What you need is parental control. Create a non admin account for the girl, enable parental control and disable all programs, then install and enable only those your girl is allowed to used, no skype etc. Then be prepared for a pissed of child who will goto her friends places and do what you dont want her to do anyway.

Good luck.
 
I understand your concern, but you aren't helping her enough with such a manuver. I strongly encourage you to improve your relationship with your daughter. A good friend of mine just got divorced and might not have if she'd learned more about healthy relationships from her parents.

THIS. What is the worst your daughter can do with an iSight? Fap on cam for her boyfriend? Whatever, kids do that stuff ALL the time. Take it from a 21 year old student, every girl does the things you think you're daughter doesn't do.

From general knowledge and first hand experience, the girls who end up taking it six ways from Sunday in the alley behind the gym are the girls whose parents were incredibly overbearing and protective -the harder you repress, the harder they rebel. I'm not saying that's what you're doing, just a little warning given what I've seen in my travels.

The best thing you can do is explain what's right or wrong, restrict some porn websites and set her free to the vast world of computing. Let her make her own mistakes!
 
As a child who grew up when the Internet exploded in the mid to late '90s, you would be shocked at the things I've seen as a young boy or the inappropriate chats I've had with young girls.

Haha, +1, was thinking the same thing...

It was interesting going from BBS pr0n, to Usenet/FTP, to the glory days of web pr0n. You used to need half a brain to find that stuff, now it finds you!
 
While this might prove to be a good idea. It seems like an uphill battle to restrict access rather than monitor and supervise access. Doesn't every teenager have a smartphone with a built in camera now? I would be more concerned about that personally.
 
While I am all for "good parenting" it's incredibly naive to think that restricting access to a computer is actually going to really accomplish anything. I didn't see the OP mention his daughter's age, but it sounds like she must be a teenage. The only thing these restrictions do is limit behavior while they are sitting in front of it and you see them. Sure, they may be controlled in that instance but what happens on her cell phone, on her friend's computers or worse - in person? You have either done your job or not instilling a sense of what is right and wrong by that age. Teenage still screw up and need help and guidance, but it's a fine line between being overbearing as others have noted and allowing them freedom. And since all kids respond differently, what works for one kid won't do anything for another. You are screwed! :)
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.