Blocking Pornography from children

Internet: Trying to prevent your children from exploring inappropriate internet sites? While "client software programs" like Netnanny and "Surf Patrol" and several others are well known and can block out these sites, we would instead prefer filtered ISPs over such programs. (Note: If you already happen to be using symantec's norton internet security (a client program) for your antivirus/firewall check your manual for "parental controls" which can filter websites.) Filtered ISPs block at the "server level" and are their block lists are more up-to-date and their controls are typically much more difficult to bypass than the client level controls. One Muslim ISP you can check out with filtered access is The Muslim Net . Filtered ISPs (coupled with procedural and other safeguards) may also present a more manageable and realistic option if you have decided to introduce internet access at an Islamic school for example. However very few things in life are 100% effective and almost anything in computer science can be bypassed with enough time, energy and money. This is a area in rapid change and flux so do your own research too please. Other products worth investigating include The Bair(TM) Filtering System and cybersitter . (Out of the two, Bair(TM) seems to be more promising. ) These are PC magazine Editor choices ( see parental filtering article ). (safekids has some general information on filtering.) If you have aol and kids,check out AOL keyword: Kids Only and/or parental controls.

Cable: If you have (digital) cable check with the cable company -- they usually have parental controls to block programs by channel, time, ratings, etc. (Blocked programs usually require a PIN set by the parent).

TV: You can also check your TV's owner's manual to see if it offers any parental controls or childlock features. Unfortuanely the parental controls on TVs tend to be easy to crack, so are probably more useful for younger children. Childlock features can also be useful for preventing excessive TV viewing while the parents are out.

Phone: If you'd like, check with your phone company about blocking calls to 900-type numbers.

National/Company Level filtering
If you desire to filter pornography at the company or national level check out Secure Computing of San Jose, California's SmartFilter (used by Saudi Arabia--coordinated by the Information Security Center at King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology) or Websense (San Diego ). Other possibilites may include Surf Control (London), Symantec (Cupertino, California) and N2H2 (Seattle),puresight, elron software,8e6 technologies -X-stop.