NationStates Jolt Archive


HELP: Best internet filter/parental control software?

The Cat-Tribe
05-04-2008, 18:53
I'm looking for help from the NSG community as to what is the best software for parents to use to filter the internet/block unwanted material.

Of course, this is NSG and the general subject matter of the desirability of such software and the best way to be a parent are fair game.

But, for the purpose of helping me, just assume there is a good reason why my sister needs to put some kind of software (or Vista settings or whatever) to help control what my nieces access on the internet.

We are well aware of the desirability of good parenting as the best control, etc. We are also aware that nanny software can be over-inclusive in blocking and would like a system that isn't too difficult to use but also isn't overly restrictive.

Anyway, any help would be appreciated from my NSG friends!
Katganistan
05-04-2008, 19:50
The best filter I can think of is putting the computer in a common area where the adults in the house can make frequent stops to see what all the girls are doing.

Beyond that, I am no expert.
Ashmoria
05-04-2008, 20:09
The best filter I can think of is putting the computer in a common area where the adults in the house can make frequent stops to see what all the girls are doing.

Beyond that, I am no expert.

thats not enough. its not that the kids are likely to be running to chat sites to set up orgies with middle aged men. what he needs is a utility that will keep vile porn ads from ever appearing uninvited on the computer screen.

but otherwise, as you say...

always keep the computer screen visible to the room. if you should let your child have an email address of her own, make it the rule that you screen every email before they get to see it (until she is in highschool). dont ever let your child have the computer in the privacy of her room. make it a habit to check what is on the screen while your child is using the computer and dont let them minimize the window as you approach.
Ruby City
05-04-2008, 20:20
Filtering what your kids see won't keep them ignorant. To be safe teach them about it before they encounter society's twisted view of it and learns that.

Adblock Plus (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865) is the best way to block not just porn ads but all ads.

Never tried any parenting software so did a quick search out of curiosity now that you mention it. One that seems different from the rest is Glubble (http://www.glubble.com/). Instead of blocking pages containing bad words it expects the parents to actively decide what sites the kids can visit. It has other features too like thumbnails of favorites for kids that can't read yet and a family message board for those that can read, or at least that's what a quick look at the website said.
ColaDrinkers
05-04-2008, 20:25
thats not enough. its not that the kids are likely to be running to chat sites to set up orgies with middle aged men. what he needs is a utility that will keep vile porn ads from ever appearing uninvited on the computer screen.

There is more to parental control software than that, but just to block porn ads it's easier and cheaper to do it yourself via the hosts file.

Adblock (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/10) is the best way to block not just porn ads but all ads.
I disagree. A good hosts file will remove nearly all advertising and speed up web browsing at the same time since the ads are never downloaded at all. It can be a good compliment though.
IL Ruffino
05-04-2008, 20:27
I hope this teaches your niece a good lesson about using anonymizer's, so that she can use them successfully now, and in the future at school.

The filter at my school blocks everything from "art appreciation" to Google Images. Yeah, how useful.
Ashmoria
05-04-2008, 20:28
There is more to parental control software than that, but just to block porn ads it's easier and cheaper to do it yourself via the hosts file.

i know there is. and its not my thread so i dont know what ct's sister wants in nanny software but to ME a good parent monitors their child's internet usage at all times (im supposing that these are kids, not highschool students). what you NEED is to block those things that come up with innocent clicks. if you expect some piece of software to be a substitute for personal input, you are dreaming eh?
IL Ruffino
05-04-2008, 20:28
There is more to parental control software than that, but just to block porn ads it's easier and cheaper to do it yourself via the hosts file.


I disagree. A good hosts file will remove nearly all advertising and speed up web browsing at the same time since the ads are never downloaded at all. It can be a good compliment though.

How do you block flash ads? They're starting to piss me off.
ColaDrinkers
05-04-2008, 20:29
How do you block flash ads? They're starting to piss me off.

With flashblock, and I think adblock can do it too.
IL Ruffino
05-04-2008, 20:32
With flashblock, and I think adblock can do it too.

I'm not sure how to do it with adblock, since when you right click a flash ad it just shows the "Play, Stop, Settings" stuff.

*looks into this flashblock dealie*
Swilatia
05-04-2008, 20:32
To not use any filter at all. Censorship is wrong.
PelecanusQuicks
05-04-2008, 20:33
In our house computers are not allowed in bedrooms at all. We have a room that kids computers are in, complete with hub to the server. (At times we have four kids here and each has their own computer). It doesn't do much for the asthetics of the room but it does a lot for the awareness that a parent...and little informers...can see all that is going on.

We set the pop-up blockers on their systems and have control of their access to the internet (can shut it off) from our computers through D-Link Gaming settings on our server. Our server has the typical blocks on it and Nortons.

They are also aware the history of each system is available to our computers and they are not allowed to set any passwords themselves.

Basically we operate on an honor system and have had very little issue. They all realize having a computer is a privilege not a right, if they violate the rules they lose the privilege.

Keeping it in the open is the best advice I know. Computers can create way too much solitary time with kids as it is, keep it a family function. That is what has worked for us.
[NS]Rolling squid
05-04-2008, 20:41
the easiest way to block popups is with firefox, it stops like 95+% o f the ads I got when using IE. And honestly, implementing measures like screening e-mails, not letting them set passwords, ect, are unnecessary, just sit down and have a good long talk with her before you let her online. However, keeping the computer in the family room is a good idea, it keeps her from becoming withdrawn from the rest of the family.
The Free Priesthood
05-04-2008, 20:44
A hosts file and adblock are almost equivalent, both prevent unwanted ads from being downloaded at all. I recommend adblock plus (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865) instead of adblock, it lets you subscribe to a list of ad servers maintained by others so you don't have to make your own list.

Using software to prevent kids from seeing stuff they actually want to see doesn't work, since almost all kids are better at using computers than their parents are.

As for software that makes sure only cats are shown in google results for "pussy"... I have no idea.
The Cat-Tribe
05-04-2008, 20:47
Thanks for the advice.

FYI, the family computer is already in a public area without much privacy and that may well change to a spot with no privacy whatsoever.

The concern is not just about completely innocent searches -- although that is a concern -- but aslo little girls being curious about some of the stuff out there that really needs to be supervised.

My sister may just use the Vista internal controls and those that come with her Trend Micro Internet Secuirty system. I'm just wondering if anybody can tell me about specific software that might be worthwhile.

As to the validity of censorship, I agree it is a concern, but we are talking here about children that are 3, 9, and 12. I don't find it completely dictatorial for my sister and her husband to feel they should play a role in what information the girls access -- especially in light of some recent events I won't go into. ;)
Ruby City
05-04-2008, 20:54
I disagree. A good hosts file will remove nearly all advertising and speed up web browsing at the same time since the ads are never downloaded at all. It can be a good compliment though.
I think Adblock blocks content from certain addresses from being downloaded just like the hosts file. It would be stupid to first download it and then block it based on the address it was downloaded from. So it's just a matter of taste which way of doing the same thing you find easiest.
I'm not sure how to do it with adblock, since when you right click a flash ad it just shows the "Play, Stop, Settings" stuff.
There should be a block button in the upper or lower right corner of flash content as shown in this FAQ (http://adblockplus.org/en/faq_basics).
To not use any filter at all. Censorship is wrong.
Is it wrong of parents to not show their kids BDSM videos?

I think it's wrong to censor what others see or say but okay to censor what you yourself or your kids see or say.
Call to power
05-04-2008, 21:00
(I really like how I immediately clicked on this thread from the NS main page sidebar thingy when I read help :))

the simple answer is to not give them the Internet at all!

or install adblock plus and Parental control for FF (http://kb.mozillazine.org/Parental_controls)

The best filter I can think of is putting the computer in a common area where the adults in the house can make frequent stops to see what all the girls are doing.

I think the intention is to have a computer that people will use though :p

*shudders at thought of mom checking up on me*
ColaDrinkers
05-04-2008, 21:10
I think Adblock blocks content from certain addresses from being downloaded just like the hosts file. It would be stupid to first download it and then block it based on the address it was downloaded from. So it's just a matter of taste which way of doing the same thing you find easiest.

I haven't used adblock for years, but I'm pretty sure that back then all the ads did download, and adblock just hid them when the page was rendered. A quick google seems to back me up on that (I found forum posts from 2004 talking about this), but perhaps they do things differently today.

Edit: adblock has had the functionality to not download the ads at all since v0.4. I still think a hosts file is faster though, due to you not having Firefox check addresses with a huge list of regexps of forbidden addresses. ;)
Xomic
05-04-2008, 21:11
the best internet control is beer.

Drink a lot of it so your so drunk you no longer care.
Katganistan
05-04-2008, 22:19
I think the intention is to have a computer that people will use though :p

*shudders at thought of mom checking up on me*

Yes, but as far as I am able to tell, you're not 3, 9, or 12 years of age.
Redwulf
05-04-2008, 22:24
I'm looking for help from the NSG community as to what is the best software for parents to use to filter the internet/block unwanted material.

Of course, this is NSG and the general subject matter of the desirability of such software and the best way to be a parent are fair game.

But, for the purpose of helping me, just assume there is a good reason why my sister needs to put some kind of software (or Vista settings or whatever) to help control what my nieces access on the internet.

The best "software" is not letting them use the net unsupervised. Even the best program will sometimes block things it shouldn't or let stuff slip through that you want blocked.
New Genoa
05-04-2008, 22:34
I haven't used adblock for years, but I'm pretty sure that back then all the ads did download, and adblock just hid them when the page was rendered. A quick google seems to back me up on that (I found forum posts from 2004 talking about this), but perhaps they do things differently today.

Edit: adblock has had the functionality to not download the ads at all since v0.4. I still think a hosts file is faster though, due to you not having Firefox check addresses with a huge list of regexps of forbidden addresses. ;)

We're talking about computers here, so what's the speed gain? 4 milliseconds?
Sel Appa
06-04-2008, 00:36
There's no such thing as good parental filter controls. By definition, the are all bad. Stop worrying about you children being exposed to bad things. It's highly unlikely they will be.
Nanatsu no Tsuki
06-04-2008, 00:40
At home, my mother used ZoneAlarm Pro to restrict my brother from accessing certain websites and for filtering spam and possible hacker threats. It was very good so I recommend it.