about Filtering Solutions

Some of the variables with each type of program are:

Customizable filtering.
Whether it filters other software applications.
Blocks chat rooms and forums.
Whether is stops you from sending personal info in email.
Produces activity logs

One of the biggest difficulties for many who are new to computers and the Internet is selecting filtering software. There are many options available, but nothing works greater than a hardware solution which some ISP's use in their service to you.

How Filtering Software Works:

Selecting filtering software can be confusing. There are many programs and they have many different features. Most filtering software blocks by one of three ways:

By scanning the document and looking for unacceptable words or terms.
Having a list of banned sites decided by the company.
Having a list of acceptable sites that your child can visit.

When it comes to SOFTWARE filtering solutions, without question SurfControl, the industry leader in filtering software solutions, provides the very best options for filtering for both private sector/household consumers as well business/corporate needs.

As far as HARDWARE filtering solutions, it appears the industry favorite is X-Stop. X-Stop is a series of filters and devices that monitor the user and computer for acceptable conduct and behavior in accordance with the policies of your business or home.

Surf'n Safety™ Seminars

Surf'n Safety™ seminars are designed to provide your personal self, community, church, school or business with an intelligent powerhouse of information in regard to Surf'n Safety™ on the Internet. Our seminars will equip all attendees with a thorough understanding and application of ways to protect yourself, students, employees, and your own family from risk of an unpleasant experience while using the Internet. For more information on the curriculum of our seminars, click here.

Filtering Software Solutions

A+ Filtering for Families Filtering software, free demo.
BAIR Filtering System The system "teaches" itself as it operates, and it blocks offensive material "on-the-fly" before it reaches your computer.
CharacterLink CharacterLink is a filter you can use to protect your family against pornography and other harmful content available on the Internet.
ChildWatch ChildWatch is a database of blocked sites is comprehensive and updated constantly, but parents may override it if they choose. You can add more forbidden sites to the list or override the list by "unblocking" sites we've blocked.

Cyber Patrol Cyber Patrol features: comprehensive time and budget management functions, multi-user capability and ChatGard--which prevents children from divulging personal information online! Highest recommended software solution worldwide.
CYBERsitter It blocks and monitors access to unsuitable and objectionable material on the Internet. CYBERsitter analyzes all Internet activity and whenever it detects inappropriate content, it is filtered. CYBERsitter automatically updates its filter file for free, optionally maintains a complete history of all Internet activity and provides privacy controls.
The Internet Filter The Internet Filter is a program that monitors, filters, analyzes, and logs internet access. This site has a free, limited feature version, and allows you to purchase the full version.
Momma Bear Momma Bear automatically adapts for your system so you don’t need to worry about the Windows Operating System details. It lets you set up a list of allowed programs. If enabled, only a program in this list will be able to run on the computer.
Net Nanny This software allows the parent to control all access to the computer, not only Internet resources, but offline computer usage as well. CAUTION!! Security can easily be broken!
PureSight PureSight uses new content sensitive filtering technology to block access to sexually explicit or pornographic material on the Web. PureSight blocks.
SentryCam SentryCam, does not block or filter but does follow the child onto the Internet and takes screen shots at timed intervals set by the parents. See exactly what activities the child experienced while in a chat room or any other area of the Internet.
SurfWatch SurfWatch software, an ICCS Certified internet filtering program. This program was designed to protect your kids and keep the internet free and safe.
We-Blocker We-Blocker gives parents the opportunity to monitor their children’s Internet access and provide them with age-appropriate content, while filtering out sites that contain adult material. Free Download.

ChildSafe™ Filtered Browsers

By far, Crayon Crawler and Internet Safari are the very best products we have tested to date and are the only ChildSafe™ Browsers that are ICCS Certified under the iWatchDog™ Program

AT Kids Browser AT Kids Browser is a multimedia web browser specially designed just for kids. Complete with wacky gadgets, useful homework tools, and wild special effects.
Children’s Internet Browser Designed to give parents complete control over their children’s Internet use, thereby allowing the child to safely explore and benefit from the Net’s educational content.
ChildLock Enables you to control which programs children can run and which folders they can see. The ChildLock settings facility lets you control which Control Panel settings can be run and which can’t.
Crayon Crawler The Crayon Crawler is a web browser to protect children on-line. Features include a talking chat room for kids, automatic blocking of vulgarity, animated characters that can actually read to, and interact with the children, a “closed” email system, and much more.
Gulliver’s Guardian Gulliver’s Guardian is user friendly all-in-one Internet Suite that includes a filtered Web browser, e-mail, news reader, and Full Armor PC Protector. Added feature is control of access to content and system usage.
Internet Safari Internet Safari seamlessly incorporates multi-leveled security directly into the browser—providing children with a safe surfing experience. Since each web page is screened, children are not limited to a pre-selected list of websites. Meets federal guidelines for filtering with multiple levels of security including graphic image analysis.
SurfMonkey The SurfMonkey BrowserTM makes Web surfing easier and more fun for kids, while the built-in safety service helps protect them from inappropriate content and contact with strangers on the Internet.

Filtering Hardware Solutions

CleanSurf CleanSurf offers protection for families by screening sites on a site-by-site basis. All access is directed through our proxy server and cannot be bypassed.
Family Click FamilyCLICK's Internet Filter is an Internet filter that works with your current ISP* to provide the most technologically advanced Internet protection available.
Family Connect FamilyConnect provides the means for homes, schools, libraries and businesses to block online pornography and illegal activity sites.
NetProtector NetProtectorTM is the ONLY hardware solution on the market for locking out the Internet. No software to install or update and easy to use key locking system.
X-Stop X-Stop is a series of filters and devices that monitor the user and computer for acceptable conduct and behavior in accordance with the policies of YOUR organization or home. Includes typing filter, porn filter, hacker resistance, rescue disk, password protection, and 24 hour a day updating.

Filtered Internet Access/ ISP

CIS Internet CHRISTIAN ONLINE SERVICES is a not-for-profit company dedicated to providing a quality educational alternative to Internet access in order to protect the moral fiber and integrity of the home, school and business.
CleanWeb Keep your family safe with our award-winning filtered Internet. Our Server-Side filtering technology cannot be turned off and protects you from spamming, junk mail and unsolicited pornographic e-mail.
FishNet Online A nationally recognized, full service Internet Service Provider offering quality Internet access to thousands of loyal subscribers. This includes a hardware filtered option.
Global Protector Network

ChildSafe™ Search Engines

EdView An excellent Search Engine provided by Apple Computers for schools and other educational facilities to find specific grade level content available on the web.
SurfSafely Sites listed here must be labeled by the content developer using the SafeSurf or ICRA labeling systems. Not only is self labeled content generally of a higher caliber than similar non-rated content, internet filters can read those labels and decide what to allow or disallow in your home or classroom before it reaches the desktop.

Auditing/Monitoring Software

Covenant Eyes No Password No Computer skills No Setup Designed for the computer novice. COMPUTER COP CD-ROM for Windows 95/98*is designed to show parents what their children are looking at when they go on the Internet.	Covenant Eyes
Cyber Cop No Password No Computer skills No Setup Designed for the computer novice. COMPUTER COP CD-ROM for Windows 95/98*is designed to show parents what their children are looking at when they go on the Internet.
Cyber Sentinel Cyber Sentinel is a easy to use total security solution for the both business and the home user. Excellent filtering solution as well as family member / employee computer usage auditing / monitoring software.
CYBERsitter It blocks and monitors access to unsuitable and objectionable material on the Internet. CYBERsitter analyzes all Internet activity and whenever it detects inappropriate content, it is filtered. CYBERsitter automatically updates its filter file for free, optionally maintains a complete history of all Internet activity and provides privacy controls.
Disk Tracy Uses a patented file analyzer and set of web monitoring tools. The file analyzer searches the a PC to find any inappropriate material that is stored on the computer. The web monitoring tools allow you to log all browser-based web activity, block specific Internet sites, conduct content-based blocking, and/or block specific activities such as chat.
ENUFF Limit your kid’s time on addictive arcade type computer games. Protect them from the Internet’s dark side by giving them access to the Internet only when adults are present to supervise.
FamilyCAM Password protected FamilyCAM lets parents easily and quickly monitor their children’s computer and online whereabouts even when they can’t be with them.
FamilySafe Media Internet and TV filtering devices.
Fontrol FonTrol is a simple-to-install, easy-to-use switch that you plug into any phone extension or dedicated phone line you wish to control.
I am Big Brother This program monitors “both sides” of chat sessions, instant messages, email and more while running hidden in the background. Works with all major messaging software.
The Internet Filter The Internet Filter is a program that monitors, filters, analyzes, and logs internet access. This site has a free, limited feature version, and allows you to purchase the full version.
LightHouse Lighthouse assists parents in training their children on Internet safety, computer usage, time management, and healthy relationships by providing parents with a detailed record of their children’s activity on the computer, including the Internet.
MoM Free site-blocking and computer monitoring software with the new “screen-rewind” feature that allows the computer owner to actually view a time-lapse movie of what was on the screen. MoM has logs and many other options too.
Momma Bear Momma Bear automatically adapts for your system so you don’t need to worry about the Windows Operating System details. It lets you set up a list of allowed programs. If enabled, only a program in this list will be able to run on the computer.
NetProtector NetProtectorTM is the ONLY hardware solution on the market for locking out the Internet. No software to install or update and easy to use key locking system.
Salus A security application which logs which files are accessed, when, for how long, which Internet sites are being accessed, who sends e-mail to whom, and so on. Salus can be made invisible to the user of the computer, giving access only to authorized persons.
SentryCam SentryCam, does not block or filter but does follow the child onto the Internet and takes screen shots at timed intervals set by the parents. See exactly what activities the child experienced while in a chat room or any other area of the Internet.
SmartAlex SmartAlex ICU monitors computer activity all the time, not only during Internet sessions. Also good for employers who want to keep tabs on how company computer time is being spent.
SurfPass SurfPass makes it possible to limit the duration of Internet use by means of an account for each user, and even to keep detailed activity logs. The software also allows screening of addresses with a list of authorized or prohibited sites.
UC2 Lite Do you know where your children have gone today? UC2 Lite™ is very simple to use and features 24 hour x 7 day logging of Web and outgoing e-mail activity, and many other features for ultimate peace of mind.
Watchdog WatchDog has an internal timer that allows you to set user time. When the user runs out of time, WatchDog can either shutdown Windows, restart Windows, restart the computer, or display the WatchDog login form.
We-Blocker We-Blocker gives parents the opportunity to monitor their children’s Internet access and provide them with age-appropriate content, while filtering out sites that contain adult material. Free Download.
Where Have You Been? The intent is to scan attempted site visits, record this information for auditing purposes, and provide notification to the parent or guardian directly through lists, reports, and/or via email services.
WinGuardian WinGuardian watches over users of Windows 95 in two ways. It can keep a log file of user visited websites and it can also lock Windows 95 so that a user can only run and access programs that an administrator authorizes.