Supervising monitoring and controlling activities performed on a client device

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a rule, wherein the rule defines a particular human activity performed on a client device based on at least one of (i) a class of human activity associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device, (ii) when the particular human activity is performed on the client device, (iii) when a certain duration of the particular human activity performed on the client device is reached, and (iv) human generated content associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device;

monitoring human activity performed on the client device;

determining whether a particular human activity performed on the client device matches a particular human activity performed on the client device defined by the rule;

sending an alert message to a human supervisor, via a data-bearing communication link, when the particular human activity performed on the client device matches a particular human activity performed on the client device defined by the rule; and

restricting the particular human activity performed on the client device automatically, when the particular human activity attempted on the client device matches the rule wherein the act of restricting the particular human activity performed on the client device includes instructing the client device to intercept and block initiation of a particular human activity from taking place on the client device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the human generated content associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device includes at least one of viewing, creating, transmitting and sending information associated with a particular subject matter, including at least one of sex, drugs, violence, infidelity, hate language, a predefined keystroke, and a subject matter designated by the human supervisor.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of monitoring the human activity performed on the client device includes monitoring at least one of Internet activity, an electronic mail message, an instant message, a chat session, a key word, a keystroke, a screen shot, an application, the date and time a particular human activity was performed, the time an application was used by a human, and the duration of any human activity performed or application used.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising permitting a human supervisor to review the human activity performed on a client device including reviewing at least one of an Internet activity, an electronic mail message, an instant message, a chat session, a key word, a keystroke, a screen shot, an application, the date and time a particular human activity was performed, and the duration of any human activity performed or application used.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising recording human activity performed on the client device, and transmitting the recorded human activity performed on the client device over a network for display to a client device operated by the human supervisor.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of monitoring the human activity performed on the client device is performed by a computer program module operating in a background environment of the client device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of monitoring the human activity performed on the client device is performed by a computer program module operating in a background environment of the client device in a stealth mode without alerting a human of the client device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising recording human activity performed on the client device and forwarding the recorded activity from the client device to one or more servers.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of sending the alert message to the human supervisor, includes sending at least one of an electronic mail message, a text message, and an audio message.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of sending the alert message to the human supervisor, includes sending at least one of an electronic mail message, a text message, and an audio message, wherein each message includes at least one of a summary of the particular human activity performed by the human on the client device, a duration of the particular human activity performed, and a time and date the particular human activity was performed.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving a rule, wherein the rule defines a particular human activity attempted on the client device based on a class of human activity associated with the particular human activity attempted on the client device;

monitoring human activity performed on the client device;

determining whether a particular human activity attempted on the client device matches a particular human activity defined by the rule; and

restricting the particular human activity attempted on the client device automatically and in real-time, when the particular human activity attempted on the client device matches the rule wherein the act of restricting a particular human activity attempted on the client device includes instructing the client device to intercept and block initiation of a particular human activity from taking place on the client device.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending an alert message to the human supervisor if a particular human activity is restricted on the client device.

13. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to: enable a rule, wherein the rule defines a particular human activity performed on the client device based on at least one of (i) a class of activity associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device, (ii) when the particular human activity is performed on the client device, (iii) when a certain duration of the particular human activity performed on the client device is reached, and (iv) human generated content associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device;

monitor human activity performed on the client device;

determine whether a particular human activity performed on the client device matches a particular human activity performed on the client device defined by the rule;

send an alert message to a human supervisor, via a data-bearing communication link, when the particular human activity performed on the client device matches a particular human activity performed on the client device defined by the rule; and

restrict the particular human activity performed on the client device automatically, when the particular human activity attempted on the client device matches the rule wherein the act of restricting the particular human activity performed on the client device includes instructing the client device to intercept and block initiation of a particular human activity from taking place on the client device.

14. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to:

enable a rule, wherein the rule defines a particular human activity performed on the client device based on at least one of (i) a class of activity associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device, (ii) when the particular human activity is performed on the client device, (iii) when a certain duration of the particular human activity performed on the client device is reached, and (iv) human generated content associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device;

monitor human activity performed on the client device;

determine whether a particular human activity performed on the client device matches a particular human activity defined by the rule; and

restricting a particular human activity performed on the client device when the particular human activity performed on the client device matches a particular human activity defined by the rule, wherein the restricting includes instructing the client device to intercept and block initiation of the particular human activity from taking place on the client device.

15. A method of supervising and controlling human activity performed on a client device, comprising:

monitoring a human activity attempted on a client device;

determining if the monitored human activity attempted on the client device matches a particular human activity defined by a rule, wherein the rule defines the particular human activity for which a human supervisor desires to block from occurring and be notified if a human of the client device attempts to perform the particular human activity on the client device;

sending an alert message, via a data-bearing communication link, to the human supervisor if it is determined that the monitored human activity attempted on the client device matches the particular human activity defined by the rule; and

intercepting and blocking the particular human activity from occurring on the client device, if it is determined that the monitored human activity attempted on the client device matches the particular human activity defined by the rule.

16. A web-based method for supervising, monitoring and controlling human activities performed a client device, comprising:

receiving a rule, wherein the rule defines a class of human activities for which a human supervisor desires to be notified if a human performs a particular human activity on a client device matching the class of human activities;

receiving monitored human activity performed on the client device;

determining if the monitored human activity performed on the client device matches the class of human activities;

sending an alert message, via a data-bearing communication link, to the human supervisor if it is determined that the monitored human activity performed on the client device matches the class of human activities; and

restricting the particular human activity performed on the client device automatically and real-time, when the particular human activity attempted on the client device matches the class of human activities wherein the act of restricting the particular human activity performed on the client device includes instructing the client device to intercept and block initiation of a particular human activity from taking place on the client device.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising recording human activity occurring on the client device including capturing screen shots of real-time human activity occurring on the computer and transmitting the recorded human activity to a web-based server via a data-bearing communication link for review by a human supervisor.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising recording human activity occurring on the computer including capturing screen shots of real-time human activity performed on the computer, including those screen shots for which human generated content is transmitted or received in an encrypted format.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the act of receiving the monitored human activity performed on the client device includes recording human activity performed on the client device including a description of the human activity performed and at least one of the following a date, time and duration of the human activity performed.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the act of determining if the monitored human activity performed on the client device matches the class of human activities includes determining whether a human has attempted to perform an activity on the client device for a duration longer than a predetermined maximum duration.

21. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the act of determining if the monitored human activity attempted on the client device matches the class of human activities includes determining whether a human has attempted to visit a category of web sites on the client device.

22. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the class of human activities for which a human supervisor desires to be notified includes at least one of game playing, e-mailing, e-mailing to a particular address, e-mailing from a free mail site, instant messaging, surfing the web, surfing particular web sites, using particular key stokes, using particular language, viewing a particular topic, viewing sexual content, using sexually explicit language, using infidelity related content, viewing hate group content, using hate related language, using violent language, viewing a terrorist organization website, using language that may be associated with a terrorist organization, and using a particular chat colloquialism.

23. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to:

monitor a human activity attempted on a client device;

determine if the monitored human activity attempted on the client device matches a particular human activity defined by a rule, wherein the rule defines the particular human activity for which a human supervisor desires to block and be notified if a human of the client device attempts to perform the particular human activity on the computer, wherein the particular human activity performed on a client device for which a human supervisor desires to block and be notified includes at least one of game playing, e-mailing, e-mailing to a particular address, e-mailing from a free mail site, instant messaging, instant messaging to a particular person, surfing the web, surfing particular web sites, using particular key stokes, using particular language, viewing a particular topic, viewing sexual content, using sexually explicit language, using infidelity related content, viewing hate group content, using hate related language, using violent language, viewing a terrorist organization website, using language that may be associated with a terrorist organization, using a particular chat colloquialism, attempting to perform an activity on the client device for a duration longer than a predetermined maximum duration, attempting to visit a category of web sites on the client device, and attempting to perform the particular human activity on the client device during a certain time;

send an electronic message to a communication device if it is determined 1 that the monitored human activity attempted on the client device matches the particular human activity defined by the rule;

intercept and block the particular human activity from occurring on the client device, if it is determined that the monitored human activity attempted on the client device matches the particular human activity defined by the rule.

24. The one or more or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 23, wherein the communication device is a server computer.

25. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 23, wherein the communication device is an alerting device.

26. A client device comprising: one or more processors; one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the client device to:

receive a rule, wherein the rule defines a particular human activity attempted on a client device for which a human supervisor desires to be notified if a human of the client device attempts to perform the particular human activity on the client device based on at least one of (i) a class of activity associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device, (ii) when the particular human activity is performed on the client device, (iii) when a certain duration of the particular human activity performed on the client device is reached, and (iv) human generated content associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device;

monitor a human activity attempted on the client device;

determine if the monitored human activity attempted on the client device matches the particular human activity defined by the rule;

send a message to a computer device if it is determined that the monitored human activity attempted on the client device matches the particular human activity defined by the rule; and

restrict the particular human activity performed on the client device automatically, when the particular human activity attempted on the client device matches the rule wherein the act of restricting the particular human activity performed on the client device includes instructing the client device to intercept and block initiation of a particular human activity from taking place on the client device.

27. The client device as recited in claim 26, wherein the computer device is a remote server connected to the client device via a data-bearing communication link.

28. A server, comprising: one or more processors; one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:

receive human activity recorded on a client device;

allow a human supervisor to enable a rule, wherein the rule defines a particular human activity performed on the client device for which a human supervisor desires to be notified if a human of the client device performs the particular human activity on the client device based on at least one of (i) a class of activity associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device, (ii) when the particular human activity is performed on the client device (iii) when a certain duration of the particular human activity performed on the client device is reached, and (iv) human generated content associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device; and

notify the human supervisor if the recorded human activity performed on the client device matches the particular human activity defined by the rule.

29. The server as recited in claim 28, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the server to enable a human supervisor to view the human activity recorded on the client device.

30. The server as recited in claim 28, wherein computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the server to enable a human supervisor to view the human activity recorded on the client device, and to view real-time human activity.

31. The server as recited in claim 28, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the server to enable a human supervisor to view the human activity recorded on the client device including at least one of e-mails, chat sessions, applications used, and screen shots.

32. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause one or more computer devices to:

receive human activity recorded performed on a client device;

allow a human supervisor to request an alert be sent if a human of the client device performs a particular human activity on the client device based on at least one of (i) a class of activity associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device, (ii) when the particular human activity is performed on the client device, (iii) when a certain duration of the particular human activity performed on the client device is reached, and (iv) human generated content associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device; and

notify the human supervisor if the recorded human activity performed on the client device matches the particular human activity requested by the human supervisor.

33. A method, comprising:

receiving a rule, wherein the rule defines a particular human activity attempted on a client device for which a human supervisor desires to block from occurring if a human of the client device attempts to perform the particular human activity on the client device based on at least one of (i) a class of activity associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device, (ii) when the particular human activity is performed on the client device, (iii) when a certain duration of the particular human activity performed on the client device is reached, and (iv) human generated content associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device;

monitoring a human activity attempted on the client device;

determining if the monitored human activity attempted on the client device matches the particular human activity defined by the rule; and

preventing the monitored human activity attempted on the client device from being carried out, if the human activity attempted is determined to match the particular human activity defined by the rule; and

notifying the human supervisor automatically if the monitored human activity attempted on the client device is determined to match the particular human activity defined by the rule.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein notifying the supervisor comprises sending a message to the supervisor with a description of any of the monitored human activity attempted on the client device determined to match the rule.

35. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the act of preventing the monitored human activity attempted on the client device from being carried out includes intercepting commands associated with the monitored human activity attempted.

36. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to:

monitor a human activity attempted on a client device:

determine if the monitored human activity attempted on the client device matches a particular human activity defined by a rule, wherein the rule defines a particular human activity for which a human supervisor desires to prevent from occurring if a human of the client device attempts to perform the particular human activity on the client device based on at least one of (i) a class of activity associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device, (ii) when the particular human activity is performed on the client device, (iii) when a certain duration of the particular human activity performed on the client device is reached, and (iv) human generated content associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device; and

prevent the monitored human activity attempted on the client device from being carried out, if the human activity attempted is determined to match the particular human activity defined by the rule.

37. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 36, wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the processors to send an electronic alert message to a remote device if it is determined that the monitored human activity attempted on the client device matches the particular human activity defined by the rule.

38. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 37; wherein the electronic alert message is in a viewable and/or audible format.

39. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 36, wherein preventing the monitored human activity attempted on the client device from being carried out comprises intercepting commands associated with the particular human activity attempted on the client device.

40. A system, comprising:

means for permitting a human supervisor to review human activity performed on a client device;

means for monitoring automatically the human activity performed on the client device;

means for receiving a request to notify the human supervisor when a particular human activity is performed on the client device based on at least one of (i) a class of activity associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device, (ii) when the particular human activity is performed on the client device, (iii) when a certain duration of the particular human activity performed on the client device is reached, and (iv) human generated content associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device; and

means for sending an alert message to the human supervisor if the particular human activity is performed on the client device.

41. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein the means for permitting the human supervisor to review the human activity performed on the client device comprises at least one of a network accessible front end.

42. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein the means for monitoring automatically the human activity performed on the client device comprises at least one of a local action monitor module.

43. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein the means for receiving a request to notify the human supervisor when the particular human activity is performed on the client device comprises at least one of a network accessible front end and a rule composer module.

44. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein the means for sending an alert message to the human supervisor if the particular human activity is performed on the client device comprises at least one of an alert module.

45. A system, comprising:

means for permitting a human supervisor to review human activity performed on a client device;

means for monitoring automatically the human activity performed on the client device;

means for receiving a request from the human supervisor to restrict a particular human activity performed on the client device based on at least one of (i) a class of activity associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device, (ii) when the particular human activity is performed on the client device, (iii) when a certain duration of the particular human activity performed on the client device is reached, and (iv) human generated content associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device; and

means for restricting, automatically, the particular human activity performed on the client device.

46. The system as recited in claim 45, wherein the means for receiving a request from the human supervisor to restrict a particular human activity performed on the client device comprises at least one of a network accessible front end module, and a rule composer module.

47. The system as recited in claim 45, wherein the means for restricting, automatically, the particular human activity performed on the client device comprises at least one of an intercept rule list module, a local action interceptor module, a local interceptor rule list, a client communication module, and a server communication module.

48. A computer system, comprising:

one or more supervisor servers configured to upload recorded human activity performed a client device forwarded from a monitoring application operating as a background application on the client device;

wherein the one or more supervisor servers enable a human supervisor to login to the one or more supervisor servers and review the recorded human activity performed on the client device, including at least one identifying the human activity performed on the client device, application used, and data associated therewith, including at least one of an Internet activity, an electronic mail message, an instant message, a chat session, a key word, a keystroke, a screen shot, an application, the date and time a particular human activity was performed or an application was used, and the duration of any human activity performed or application used

wherein the one or more supervisor servers further enable a human supervisor to login to the one or more supervisor servers and enable the one or more supervisor servers to send instructions to the monitoring application to send an alert message to a human supervisor, via a data-bearing communication link, when the particular human activity performed on the client device matches a rule based on at least one of (i) a class of activity associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device, (ii) when the particular human activity is performed on the client device, (iii) when a certain duration of the particular human activity performed on the client device is reached, and (iv) human generated content associated with the particular human activity performed on the client device.

49. The computer system as recited in claim 48, wherein the monitoring application operates on the client device in a stealth mode without alerting the human of the client device that the application is running on the client device.

50. The computer system as recited in claim 48, wherein the one or more supervisor servers enable a human supervisor to instruct the monitoring application to intercept and block initiation of the particular human activity from taking place on the client device when the particular human activity performed on the client device matches the rule.