OT - Protecting kids who use Linux

[Mark Knecht]

Hi,
   My son was 10 when he got his first PC. No Internet access and RH8,
upgraded to RH9 later on. Still no net access.

   He's now 12 and we are interested in giving him access to the
Internet, mostly for homework research, but clearly he will want to
chat with his friends using GAIM/etc. and he'll have a browser to who
knows where he'll go and what he'll see. Certainly not me....

   However, my wife and I feel we want and need to know what he's
doing, what he's looking at,who he's talking to, etc. All the normal
parental responsibilities. We don't want to be overbearing about it,
but we know it's something we need to be careful about.

   How do we do this? I'm using Linux. My wife is switching to Linux
in the next few months. The only OS my son has had in his room is
Linux. I understand how to 'configure' his machine remotely, but I
don't know how to keep him safe while still letting him have fun and
do what he wants to do within reason.

   I did some very simple, basic searches for things like 'netnanny &&
Linux' but came up empty.

   What are the tools I have available for this sort of application.
Are there any good sites for this sort of thing? I'm hoping someone
has read a recent article, etc.

Thanks,
Mark