What makes the Internet useful is also what makes it terrible: it's for the masses. Anyone can use it, so the Web page producers make content for everyone's interests. Those who really suffer are the little ones who don't know how to avoid the mature content. They want access to the Internet for learning and playing games, but instead they find filthy, often hate-filled material. The impetus is on the parent to filter websites so that children aren't swept under by waves of harmful content while surfing the net.
Step 1
Go to the "Tools" option on your Internet Explorer browser. Click on "Internet Options" and then the "Content" tab. Select "Enable" for Content Advisor. Go to the "Approved Sites" tab and enter all of the websites you want to block under the text that says "Allow this website:." Click the button that says "Never" and then click "OK."
Step 2
Download a free Web blocking program. Children, especially teenagers, are growing up in a Web-based world and can usually outsmart a manually blocked page. Programs such as K9 Web Protection and the Parental Control Bar (see Resources) allow you to block websites without your children figuring out how to easily undo the blockage.
Step 3
Install a tracking program. The possibility still exists that your child has found a way to circumvent the website blocking program, either on purpose or by accident. Programs such as eBlaster and Keystroke Tracker (see Resources) will email you updates of Web activity, conversation and keystrokes typed. Talk to your child and assure him that you're just trying to keep him safe on the big, bad world of cyberspace.
Step 4
Block websites from the computer instead of from a browser. Open your Windows 7 Start menu and search: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. Locate a program called "hosts" and open it with Notepad. Type 127.0.0.1 followed by the website you want to block at the end of the file. Save the file, and the website is blocked.
Tips and Warnings
- To block websites in Firefox, go to "Tools" and then "Add-ons." Search for an Add-on called "BlockSite" and download it. You will have to restart Firefox. Go back to "Tools" and then "Add-ons" to find BlockSite. Enable all of the preferences on BlockSite. Then click the "Add" button and begin adding the websites that you want to block.
