Traditional parental-control software may allow parents to block a child's ability to communicate using a specific communication system. For example, a parent may implement a control policy in an instant-messaging client. The control policy may block a young child from instant messaging a contact with whom the parent does not want the child to communicate. Unfortunately, communication control that is specific to a particular communication client may be ineffective given the Internet's current social landscape.
Communication mechanisms, such as e-mail, instant-messaging services, and social-networking websites, provide users with a variety of options for communicating with others. Therefore, even if a parent blocks a child from communicating with a contact over an instant-messaging system, the child and the contact may still be able to communicate using email, a social-networking website, and/or any other communication medium. What is needed, therefore, is a more effective mechanism for controlling communications.