After the preview variant of the tool was released to 3,000 beta testers in March, Microsoft has officially announced that it has made the Windows Live OneCare Family Safety Beta available for immediate download to the general public. "Child safety parental control is really a top-of-mind issue. It just keeps getting bigger with all the coverage around social networking and MySpace and things like that," stated Alan Packer, Microsoft Product Unit Manager. "There was an expectation from our customers that we should be doing more to help keep them safer online."

The Redmond Company Internet filters pushed under the OneCare umbrella brand, come to answer growing concerns related to children's online safety. Windows Live OneCare Family Safety Beta is: "free software that helps you and your kids explore the Internet more safely. Family Safety helps you filter information based on each child's age to help protect them from stuff you don't want them to see. You can also limit searches, block or allow certain Web sites, and monitor what they're doing online," reads a message posted by Microsoft.

In addition to Web filters and monitoring capabilities, Windows Live OneCare Family Safety Beta can be integrated with Works, with Windows Live Search and MSN Encarta to filter inappropriate content. Furthermore, parents will be able to interact with the utility from remote locations and tap into an advice resource from experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics.