The Internet can be a great resource, helping children and teenagers gain a greater knowledge about the world around them. Unfortunately, the Internet is also full of other websites containing graphic language, violence and pornography. To protect your children from this content, many tools have been developed to filter the Internet in order to help keep your children safe.
Net Nanny
Consistently ranked as one of the top Internet filters on the market, Net Nanny offers a simple software that any parent can setup and use to block out unwanted content. It can also block or filter chat rooms, peer-to-peer downloading sites, instant messaging, forums and email. Net Nanny features allow you to log-on from any computer and view the history of your home computer, as well as change any settings. The software also receives regular updates, which keep the program current on objectionable sites.
Safe Eyes
Safe Eyes is another filter option that is consistently rated towards the top of the market. Unlike some filtering softwares that keep an updated list of objectionable sites on your computer or use website word searches, Safe Eyes routes all web traffic through its servers. As you type in a webpage, instead of the site being transmitted directly back to your computer it is sent through the Safe Eyes server where it can block inappropriate content before it is transmitted to your computer. If someone tries to access an inappropriate website from your computer, you can setup the service to text you or call you to notify you.
Internet Browsers
You can also install web browsers that are specifically designed with children in mind. Several major companies such as Dreamworks have teamed up with Internet companies to produce browsers featuring popular children's movie characters. These browsers work similar to Internet Explorer or Firefox, but open the Internet to only a select group of safe sites for your child.
Free Software
If you are unable to spend the money to buy a Internet filter, free options exist. For example, two free filters include K9 Web Protection and Norton's OnlineFamily. Norton provide many of the same benefits of commercial filters, including the ability to control and block the websites your child visits, as well as limit the amount of time your child can spend online.
