Windows 10 wipes your child safety settings if you upgrade from 7 or 8:

Are you a Windows 10 converts responsible for young computer users? Be on your guard. Child-friendly Family Features from Windows 7 and 8 won’t be recognized or accepted in the new operating system.

Rather, children using Windows 10 PCs are seen as standard users; no dedicated child-user account exists.

That means any existing age-related website controls, app and game restrictions, PC time limits, plus your ability to view recent activity, won’t work on Windows 10.

Adults must now create a completely new set of family settings through a long-winded procedure in Windows 10 that requires the child’s participation.

Microsoft had explained the new controls, here, but the details will be lost on many millions following Microsoft’s advice to run Windows 10 on existing PCs.

Even those getting early builds of Windows 10 got caught out. Those unaware their old settings won’t work now risk exposing children on Windows 10 to porn, violence and other online dangers once they’ve upgraded.

A Microsoft spokesperson pointed out you should receive – when you upgrade – a Check Family Safety tip with a link to how to create fresh settings.

But Reg reader Paul Dove, who conducted an experimental upgrade, has blasted Microsoft for putting children at risk with Windows 10. Dove also criticised Microsoft’s process for creating a new child’s account in the OS.

That process involves sending the child or children in your family in invitation via email that they must then accept. Dove, however, reckoned the savvy young user is able to turn off the new security settings in Windows 10.

He was able to change the new child account to a local account and effectively remove protections simply by clicking on the Windows 10 start button, then on the name at the top, and then on Change Account Settings.

“Microsoft should be ashamed of itself,” Dove told The Reg. “Not making sure that this was fixed before releasing Windows 10 it has put many children at risk."

"I might not have realized that after upgrading Windows 7 to Windows 10 the Family Safety needs to be re-done," he added.

Dove recommended three steps Microsoft should now take to help Windows 10 converts.

These are: checking for previous use of Windows Live Family Safety and to automatically disable children's accounts until the Windows 10 machine has been properly set up; scrapping the whole invitations process for set-up via a PC administrator; and offering a wizard that guides people through the set-up.

Defending Windows 10 and Microsoft, a spokesperson told us: “We will continue to roll out new Windows 10 Family features over time. We designed Windows 10 as a service, and we’ll keep listening to our customers. If there are ways to make improvements, we will do so.”

By Gavin Clarke 

Trinity Mount Ministries Website

New Vermont law makes child safety priority:

MONTPELIER – Vermont's new child safety law shifts the state's priority in protecting children to their well-being from an imperative to reunite them with their families, officials said Monday during the governor's bill-signing ceremony at his Statehouse office.

Gov. Peter Shumlin, after signing the bill, handed the pen to the family of Jordan Preavy, a former Milton High School football player, who took his life one year after he was hazed by teammates. School officials maintained they did not have enough information under the law to report the hazing.

"Thanks for all your great work," he told the family members before the signing. Now abuse reports must be filed with both police and the Department of Children and Families within 24 hours.

The workings of Vermont's child protection system drew close scrutiny on several fronts last year, including after 2-year-old Dezirae Sheldon of Poultney died in February and 15-month-old Peighton Geraw of Winooski died in April.

The new law was written after a special legislative committee took testimony starting last summer and continued into the legislative session.

Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington, said legislators heard from more than 1,000 witnesses who highlighted various flaws in Vermont's child protection system.

Sears, co-chair of the special committee, said Monday the new law changed the rules that required officials to consider as the first option reuniting a child with his or her family. He said it will bring about consistency in how child protection laws are applied across the state.

"The bill allows the court to consider the best interest of the child first," Sears said. "It doesn't mean that a child wouldn't go back with their mother or father, or whomever, but it does set up a different sort of expectation that what we are going to be looking at is the best interest of the child."

The state Department for Children and Families also has hired 18 more social workers and 12 more administrative personnel to keep better track of the cases of at-risk children.

Shumlin said the measure makes it easier now for social workers, police, the courts and others involved in the care of children to communicate about specific cases. It also calls for more care in monitoring children who have been reunited with their families after the state gets involved.

"It breaks down silos," Shumlin said of the new law. "When we look back on the tragedies we faced and asked 'what did we do wrong,' one of the answers was very clear, we weren't communicating enough about each case to give the resources that we have the ability to succeed."

Shumlin noted that a recurring problem encountered by the state's child welfare agency is addiction to heroin and other opiate drugs that makes it impossible for some parents to care for their children.

"This bill does not mean that Vermont will succeed every time," Shumlin said. "It just doesn't. And as I said, with heroin addiction, the challenges are tougher, the offenses seem to be increasing, not decreasing."

Second-degree murder charges are pending against Dezirae's stepfather and Peighton's mother. Both have pleaded not guilty.

The 24-hour reporting requirement was initially part of a separate bill introduced by 30 legislators led by Rep. Ron Hubert, R-Milton. It was incorporated in the child protection. Hubert's bill was prompted by State's Attorney T.J. Donovan saying he believed he would be unable to obtain convictions for failure to report based on the current law.

The 150-member House gave the Preavy family a standing ovation when the bill was introduced in January.

Preavy was one of three Milton High School football players that sex crime police say were assaulted with either a pool cue or a broomstick during hazing rituals for newer players in 2011 and 2012.

Preavy transferred to Milton as a junior and was assaulted after trying out for the football team. He was held down by one player and attacked by another with a broomstick, police said. The 17-year-old shot himself in August 2012 as he started his senior year on the team.

Five former Milton football players were charged and convicted for crimes in the hazing case. One received a short jail sentence, while the others lesser penalties.

His family maintains the humiliating hazing by his teammates played a role in his suicide. Preavy was a talented athlete who also played goalie on the Under 19 Quebec National Field Lacrosse team.

Source: New Vermont Law

Trinity Mount Ministries on facebook

The National Summit on Protecting Children:

Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the National Summit on Protecting Children from Sexual Exploitation

National Harbor, Md. ~ Friday, October 14, 2011

Remarks as prepared for delivery:

Thank you, Francey [Hakes] – for your kind words, for your work in bringing us all together this afternoon, and – of course – for your outstanding leadership in implementing the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.

It’s a privilege to join Francey in welcoming all of our panelists and participants.   I’m encouraged to see so many longtime allies and new partners in one place – eager to share best practices and fresh ideas, to think creatively and act collaboratively, and – ultimately – to take our efforts to prevent and reduce child exploitation to a new level.

Thank you all for taking part in today’s discussions – and for your contributions in advancing one of the Justice Department’s top priorities: protecting the safety, rights, and best interests of our children.

This work – of reaching out to children in need and at risk, of supporting victims, and of safeguarding our young people from exploitation, abuse, trafficking, sexual violence, and online threats – has never been more urgent.   At every level of the Justice Department, it is – and it will remain – a top priority.

 

This commitment is yielding promising results.   In recent years, investigations and prosecutions of child exploitation crimes have increased dramatically.   And we’re working with law enforcement and government agencies – as well as nonprofit and advocacy organizations, and a variety of international partners – like never before.   In rural areas, inner cities, tribal communities, and online – we’ve brought a record number of offenders to justice.   We’ve launched a new, nationwide operation targeting the top 500 most dangerous, non-compliant sex offenders.   And, just this summer, we announced the largest prosecution in history of individuals who participated in an online child exploitation enterprise.  

 

But, unfortunately – at the same time – we’ve also seen an historic rise in the distribution of child pornography, in the number of images being shared online, and in the level of violence associated with child exploitation and sexual abuse crimes.   Tragically, the only place we’ve seen a decrease is in the age of victims.

 

This is unconscionable – and it is unacceptable.   Such an extraordinary challenge demands our most aggressive, innovative, and comprehensive possible response.

           

That’s what today’s summit is all about – expanding our network of partners, broadening our reach and expertise, and improving our ability to keep our children safe from harm.   It’s also about keeping the promise that’s laid out in the National Strategy that the Justice Department submitted to Congress last year.  

 

In developing this Strategy, we solicited ideas and sought expertise from advocates, victims, law enforcement officers, policymakers, and partners at every level of government and across the international community.   Many of these partners are here today, and I’m grateful for their ongoing engagement.   With their help, we created a Strategy that provided a comprehensive assessment of the threats at hand, as well as the effectiveness of current efforts to combat child exploitation and abuse.   It also provided information on areas where we needed to act more aggressively – and more collaboratively.

 

Over the last year, this Strategy has provided a roadmap for our work – helping us to fuse cutting-edge technologies with traditional methods of law enforcement and recovery; to streamline our education, prevention and prosecution activities; to improve information sharing and cooperation; and to leverage limited resources.

 

Without question, I am proud of what’s been accomplished.   But I am not satisfied.   I recognize that we have more to do – and that we cannot do it alone.

To more effectively prevent and combat child exploitation and abuse, we need greater engagement – and not just from our traditional law enforcement, advocacy, and government partners.   We need the help of behavioral experts, security and technology industry leaders, and other experts and specialists who can inform and strengthen our work.  

 

That’s why the National Strategy demands that we keep expanding our network of partners.   And it’s why the Justice Department will continue to call on those who share our concerns – as well as our commitment to progress – to join in our efforts to protect the children who need us most.

As we begin today’s discussions, not only do I welcome your involvement, I am counting on it.   And I expect that your diverse perspectives – and specific recommendations – will help to guide and enhance the Department’s work in the days ahead.

Today, together, we are increasing our odds in the fight to protect our kids.   We’re also raising awareness about the problem of child exploitation.   And by bringing together so many different partners, we’re signaling that – when it comes to keeping our children from harm – a new era of collaboration has begun.

Thank you all for being part of this conversation and this work.   Your presence here today gives me great hope about what we can accomplish together.   And I look forward to hearing from – and working with – you all.

Please Visit Our Website!