We as parents are very much concerned about our kid’s safety online. Primarily, we are not after our children’s time wasting in the internet but on what activities they are engaged and what they are doing in these sites. Possibilities of they might be interacting already with complete strangers who are asking for our personal information that would risk not only the family’s security but might exploit our kids as well. Most viruses are acquired in visiting these harmful sites too. So it is our duty to educate our children about the dangers of sharing private and personal information online. Furthermore, explaining them the reason of blocking certain sites for them not to be able to outsmart us. Kids also have their know-how in unblocking certain sites they want to view. In my case I am using the Open DNS in my home network, making sure they do not know my password.
We cannot always have an eye on them to monitor their activities in the computer especially on the internet, so to make sure of their safety, we need to block and restrict certain websites which we think might be harmful.
Website Filtering is used to allow or deny computers on your network from accessing specific web sites by keywords or specific Domain Names.
There are a number of ways to block porn sites, or any other website that you would like to prevent from showing up in your browser.
1. Use Open DNS
2. Use K9, Net Nanny, Norton Internet Security or Naomi internet filter or other website blocking softwares that you may purchase online.
3. Use manual filtering. This is one way of blocking sites that can be done without the use of any software. Just follow the instructions below:
Step 1: Click the Start button and select Run. Now type the following text in that Run box:
notepad c:WINDOWSsystem32driversetchosts
Step 2: A new notepad window will prompt on your screen containing some cryptic information. Go to the last line of the file, hit the enter key and type the following:
127.0.0.1
127.0.0.1
127.0.0.1
Step 3: Save the file and exit. You are now done! None of the above sites will now open on your computer. You may delete, edit and add sites to be blocked in the future.
4. Use BlockSite 0.7.1.1 add on, if you are using the Fire Fox browser
5. Router “Turn Website Filtering ON and ALLOW computers access to ONLY¨ and then enter in the domains you want your children to have access to.