The Internet, is magnificent in its resources for families. Educational resources abound. Kids can easily find help for their homework blues without venturing to the library. Kids can chat with friends from far away for free; friends who, probably just a few years ago, they would never hear from again. And, of course, there's plenty of entertainment to satisfy the whole family once the chores and homework are complete.
However, the Internet can often be an inappropriate place for kids to surf unsupervised. Plenty of content is only appropriate for mature audiences. And, sadly, there are 'bad seeds', those who the children never should talk to.
Help keep your children away from these unsuitable materials. Many search engines and directories have filters and options that only return pages that have passed a particular profanity or "kid-safe" filter. These types of filters vary from web site to web site, but may do one of the following:
* Only allow you to search a selection of links picked by the site's editors to be "kid-safe" or free of profanity.
* Not show links containing profane words, these being words designated by a site to be profane. This list may not contain all possible profane words or combinations.
* Show links containing profane words but block out the profane words with asterisks, dollar signs, or other symbols. Again, the blocked-out words are those the site deems profane and might not include all such words.
Unfortunately, no filter can be 100% accurate.
Here are some search engines that have filters you can enable to try to weed out inappropriate content.
AltaVista http://www.altavista.com/
Above and to the right of the search query box you can find the link labeled "Family Filter". Turn on this filter to cause AltaVista to filter out inappropriate content. Be sure to read the linked-to FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) before using this filter. Again, no family filter is 100% accurate, but it's better than nothing.
Ask Jeeves For Kids http://www.altavista.com/
You can provide kids with their very own search butler. Ask Jeeves for Kids is a special version of the popular Ask Jeeves web site geared towards the younger set. It is used the same way as the normal Ask Jeeves ? just ask a question and click the "Ask" button.
You will notice the site design is quite different from the main Ask Jeeves. The page is colorful and includes fonts more suited for kids. There are links to games, study tools, news resources, and message boards. Be sure to check out Jeeves' hat as you move your mouse over each resource :)
According to the "Parents" page, Ask Jeeves For Kids only searches for "G-Rated" information. However, they do warn that since web sites change, there is no guarantee that adult content cannot slip through the cracks. Still, they do a good job at trying to filter out information, so if you have children surfing the net, you may want to point them over to this popular resource.
Google http://www.altavista.com/
Visit the "Advanced Search" link and take a look at the "SafeSearch" section. Click the "Filter using SafeSearch" radio button to cause Google to only returns sites that match Google's "SafeSearch" filter. This filter attempts to remove material containing pornography or sexual content, but it is not and cannot be 100% accurate. Click the link "SafeSearch" on this page for more information about this filter.
You can also click the "Preferences" link from the front page to set preferences on how you want Google to search through documents. From here you can enable the "SafeSearch" setting by default. These preferences are placed in the form of a cookie stored on your browser, so if you disable cookies your preference choices will not stick. Be sure to press the "Save Preferences" button when you are done with your choices or they will not stick.
Lycos http://www.altavista.com/
Click on the "Parental Controls" link on the front page (located under the search bar), or turn on the "Adult Filter" from the advanced search page to enable the "Lycos SearchGuard". This feature attempts to filter out sites containing inappropriate or offensive material such as "adult, violent, hate and weapons-related content". Note that while no filter can be 100% effective this is a good start.
You may also want to visit the following family and kid-friendly Lycos sites:
Lycos Family Zone http://www.altavista.com/
Lycos Zone (For Kids) http://www.altavista.com/
No matter which site you use, realize that no filter can be 100% accurate. All it takes is a little web browser knowledge to defeat cookie-based filters. Inappropriate sites can and sometimes will "slip through the cracks". Thus, I recommend that you always supervise your kids' Internet usage whenever possible. These filters, however, may make your supervision easier and your entire family's Internet experience more enjoyable without any surprises.
About The Author
This article was written by Andrew Malek, Internet Search Guru and author of Find Stuff On the Net, an e-book that can show even beginning computer users how to navigate the Internet without fear. Catch-up with your kids' knowledge when it comes to using the net. For further information and free snippets of the book, visit http://www.altavista.com/
Culver prom limo ..It's funny how people seem to think that they have... Read More
Fall marks the beginning of many new things both for... Read More
From the time the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in... Read More
When my oldest boy was really young, he tickled my... Read More
Assuming there are no serious motor problems present, what can... Read More
Children do what feels good to them and follow their... Read More
Lead is one of the most dangerous toxins a person... Read More
I used to have a really challenging job. It was... Read More
How bad is the illegal drug problem here in the... Read More
Teens can freely access the Internet from computers at school,... Read More
``Mom, can I go to the mall with my friend... Read More
Do you have a high maintenance child?"Thank goodness my second... Read More
Recently, our family had the opportunity to care for sisters'... Read More
Even though the "Stop and Think" movement in ADHD treatment... Read More
In the last few years, parents started getting more and... Read More
The purpose of this article is to address some of... Read More
Wooden toys are one of the best alternatives for the... Read More
It's sometimes difficult to find ways to be involved with... Read More
In our last article about the neurology of ADHD we... Read More
Is there a fathering instinct?Celebrated child development expert Erik Erikson... Read More
Salon visits can be scary experiences for small children: They... Read More
Are you considering a car wash fundraiser for your group?... Read More
Look around: Your kids are counting sleeps until the last... Read More
Elana, born in Russia, was told "We really don't know... Read More
So you have just returned home from your third meeting... Read More
Wood Dale limo ..Saying no to our children is not always easy or... Read More
It's a familiar scene: Kids screaming at each other, complaining... Read More
Sex has a lot to answer for ? babies usually... Read More
It may seem obvious to many people why literacy is... Read More
IntroductionChildren are the gifts of God to parents. That young... Read More
As a parent, you probably know that the birthday party... Read More
In his recent newsletter "Happy Kids", parenting expert Michael Grose... Read More
It's the first day of the summer holiday. Five year-old... Read More
Do you struggle to get your child to bed at... Read More
Not all parents subscribe to the notion of "tough love,"... Read More
"All that I am or ever hope to be, I... Read More
"Where did he come up with that?" Kids often amaze... Read More
Having worked with parents for the last 35 years and... Read More
To every thing there is a season, and a time... Read More
There's a phrase that's become popular over the past few... Read More
Children are notoriously bad at drinking enough liquids. They are... Read More
Many families today are blending members from past relationships. It... Read More
When a child is born, a new number is added... Read More
The human brain never actually stops developing. Beginning formation in... Read More
A growing body of scientific evidence shows that the way... Read More
"My son won't go to bed at night without a... Read More
"I could have helped you if I would have known,... Read More
Being consistent when children are less than perfect can make... Read More
It was no contest. Given a choice between a ball... Read More
Many parenting books advise against eating out with young children.... Read More
Parenting |