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Can Anyone Recommend A Good Filtering Program?
4/18/2005 | me

Posted on 04/18/2005 7:30:23 PM PDT by DameAutour

I'm trying to find a good program to block pornographic websites and other undesired websites. I tried one called ContentWatch but that didn't seem to work very well with Firefox.

We're trying to uphold chaste standards in our home and there have been struggles. I'm just looking for something to make it less than worth anyone's while to look for objectionable material. No addicts here, no serious problems, just imperfect people. Better safe than really sorry.


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS:
If anyone can help with recommendations I'd really appreciate it. Thank you.
1 posted on 04/18/2005 7:30:24 PM PDT by DameAutour
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To: DameAutour

Don't surf to smut sites. Problem solved.


2 posted on 04/18/2005 7:31:49 PM PDT by ambrose (....)
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To: DameAutour

http://weblocker.fameleads.com/


3 posted on 04/18/2005 7:32:24 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: DameAutour

ZoneAlarm Suite includes a firewall, antivirus, spamblocker and filters out the types of web sites you tell it to.


4 posted on 04/18/2005 7:47:39 PM PDT by Defiant (Amend the Constitution to nullify all decisions not founded on original intent.)
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To: DameAutour

Try making a religious site your home page.


5 posted on 04/18/2005 8:02:54 PM PDT by thoughtomator (Now that I'm in the DC area I can see where all my tax dollars have been going)
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To: DameAutour
Any blocking program you put in can be defeated. There are some routers out there which can have a block list installed, but still, that too can be defeated (though it is much harder..)

The honest truth is that the best blocker is a parent. No computers in bedrooms; keep them in family areas where others tend to be present. Use headphones so that game sounds don't disturb other family activities, but otherwise, keep that monitor facing others.

If you're not home for part of the day and, say, your kids are, turn off the computer. No using it until a parent gets home. It won't prevent total exposure - kids can go elsewhere, they could sneak time in when you're not aware. But this is the best method we've found, so far.
6 posted on 04/18/2005 8:49:54 PM PDT by kingu (What is union scale wage for staging a protest anyway?)
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To: DameAutour
Any filter can be circumvented regardless of how good it is, but my suggestion would be Mcaffee. You can do a parental block on there and specify which types of sites you want to block.

Another good way is an agreement with a good friend where you will randomly check each others history and viewing habits. Yes, you could just delete your history folder, and your cookies. But then, wouldn't that tip your hand as to what you've been looking at?

I've had the same problem, my solution was to never give myself too much free time... -_^
7 posted on 04/18/2005 10:55:22 PM PDT by Lunitari
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To: DameAutour
If you're really serious about stopping it in your home then you need to hire a tech nerd to set up a SOHO (Small Office - Home Office) firewall for you (Example: DLink DFL-300 - around $300). This device is password protected and should be set up to block absolutely everything EXCEPT for those sites that you explicitly list.

This means that anytime you want to go to a new site then that will have to be added to the router table.

You could get a little fancier with this and allow a machine that only parents use access anything, by telling the firewall not to block anything from that machines MAC address. The machine would need to be set up with an operating system that allows logging in and you would need to set a strong password.

Again, contact a computer tech and show them this post. It will probably run you about $150 labor.
8 posted on 04/18/2005 11:29:15 PM PDT by politicket (We now live in a society where "tolerance" is celebrated at the expense of moral correctness.)
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To: DameAutour
One recommendation from someone who has been there;
Find a parental type monitoring software package that keeps a history of who went where and who typed what. The one I used was called "Parent's Friend". There are others that log all internet activity as well as having a keystroke logger.

Install it and let everyone see it running. Show them the splash screen, the main user screen, what it can do and what you can monitor. Use it for a short time. Then uninstall it. If you got your message across and everyone who uses the PC thinks they are being monitored, they will modify their 'net behavior appropriately.
It worked for me and my children are much more responsible when using the internet. I occasionally will pop into certain areas on the computer to check on them but monitoring software was only necessary for a period of a few weeks.

I took the stance from the beginning that I'd rather have them modify their behavior instead of me having to filter everything they do....which in reality, you can never actually do.

9 posted on 04/19/2005 6:29:42 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.)
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To: DameAutour

Check out BSafe Online @ http://www.bsafehome.com/


10 posted on 04/19/2005 8:43:30 AM PDT by HeavyHanded
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To: All

Thanks all for the suggestions. I've found one that I like, the ZoneAlarm one fits my needs best. We don't really have a porn problem in my household and there are no children. I'm the most web-savvy person by far in my home and I am home all day. If I wanted to spy I could, but this is just to protect us from stuff we don't want to see, not for me to spy on anyone in particular.

A lot of it can come up when you're not looking for it, and then those images stay in your mind. I don't even like the stuff, find it to be a turnoff, but it can have a strong effect, just one picture. In lieu of getting rid of the internet altogether, my family decided to try this solution. All of us agreed to pitch in to cover the cost of the program. I wanted to find something that was powerful, intelligent (blocking what should be blocked and not what shouldn't) but unobstrusive, and ZoneAlarm fit the bill. I already had the firewall and loved it.

Thanks for everything.


11 posted on 04/19/2005 3:20:43 PM PDT by DameAutour
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To: DameAutour
The new Mac OS X Tiger operating system has a new feature called Parental Controls for the web browser and email program. It allows you to establish the rules for the computer. The Apple web site has a video that demonstrates how it works.

You can set individual controls for each user. As an added benefit, if each user has an individual account on the computer, it will prevent the kids from accessing or accidentally deleting your files.

Windows is a magnet for porn, spam, viruses, worms and spyware, so the best way to protect your family is to get a Mac.

12 posted on 04/20/2005 2:26:53 AM PDT by HAL9000 (Get a Mac - The Ultimate FReeping Machine)
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To: DameAutour
I seen you've found a solution.

For those that may come along afterward, I'll add my two bits. I can very strongly recommend Dansguardian to those running Linux distributions. It's a free, powerful content filter which will allow you to control access to what gets onto your system - either software/malware-wise or inappropriate web material. It actually filters on the content of individual web pages. While it's default configuration is pretty restrictive, it's easy to administer in order to tailor it to what you deem appropriate.

13 posted on 04/25/2005 7:08:26 AM PDT by LTCJ
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To: DameAutour

You can block your PC and the curious kids will just use a friends that isn't blocked. Open eyed talking is the best way to answer your kids questions.


14 posted on 04/27/2005 10:24:55 AM PDT by B4Ranch (Report every illegal alien that you meet. Call 866-347-2423)
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