Cyber Safety Links for Parents

Lists

  1. Family Safe Search Engine (Family-Source.com)

Searches over 2.3 million family-safe sites.

  1. Internet Filtering Software (SafetySurf.com)

Provides a list of preferred Internet filtering software. Recommends the FamilyConnect software.

Materials

  1. Awesome Library Browser for Children (AwesomeLibrary.org)

Awesome Library Browser for Children (ALBC) provides homes, libraries, and schools with a minimalist but effective method of keeping K-6 children from being exposed to hard core adult sites--without the use of censorship lists.

Instead of using lists, Awesome Library Browser for Children looks for a designation that virtually all hard core adult Web sites put on their Web pages so they can be found by search engines. It happens to be a designation that other sites do not use. ALBC also offers "green space" to ensure that children can find what they need easily.

  1. Parental Controls (SurfControl.com)

Provides filtering software for child safety. Provides a free trial version.

  1. Search Guard (Lycos)

Provides screening of searches, using the Lycos search engine.

  1. We-Blocker Filtering Software - Review (eOpinions.com)

Provides a summary of reviews of the free software.

  1. We-Blocker Filtering Software - Reviews (FamilyEducationNetwork.com)

Provides reviews of the free software.

Papers

  1. Parental Controls (Education World - Hopkins)

Provides a discussion of methods for controlling access to inappropriate materials for children. Also provides excellent links.

  1. Browsers for Kids (GetNetWise.org)

Provides browsers designed to protect children from pornographic material.

  1. Censorship and Control of the Internet (American Library Association)

Provides articles and news related to censorship.

  1. Cybersitter Review (PCMag.com)

Reviews PC Magazine's Editor's Choice for best filtering software.

  1. Effectiveness of Internet Filtering Software (CSIRO - Greenfield, Rickwood, and Tran)

Provides a description of the types of Internet filtering methods and evaluation results for some of the more popular software.

  1. Error Rates of Filtering Programs (Hazelton)

Provides results of a study of the effectiveness of some of the most commonly used filtering programs. Programs tested included AOL Parental Controls, Cyber Patrol, SurfControl (SurfWatch), SafeServer, and N2H2 (Bess).

  1. Essay Against Pornography (Enough Is Enough)

Provides reasons why pornography should not be considered safe or a "Constitutional right." Editor's Note - Parents are encouraged to view a summary of the actual ruling of the Supreme Court in Miller v. California, below on this Web page, which is mentioned in the essay 6-00.

  1. FamilyConnect Internet Filtering Software - Review (FamilyConnect.com)

Provides a review of FamilyConnect Internet filtering software. Uses a list of inappropriate sites to block and allows a family to block additional sites. Blocking of an individual site can be done with an ID and password.

  1. FamilyConnect Internet Filtering Software - Review (FamilyEducation.com)

Provides two reviews of FamilyConnect Internet filtering software.

  1. FamilyConnect Internet Filtering Software - Review (eOpinions.com)

Provides three reviews of FamilyConnect Internet filtering software.

  1. File-Sharing Program Sends Porn (CNN - Barrett)

Describes a file-sharing program now commonly used by teens that may unintentionally send adult material.

  1. Filter Software Review (InternetFilterReview.com)

Reviews 10 popular Internet filtering programs. Recommends ContentProtect as the best overall.

  1. Filtering Software Comparisons (GetNetWise)

Provides a list of features for you to select and then provides filtering tools that match your needs. Does not evaluate the quality of the filtering tools.

  1. Filtering Software Comparisons (InfoMedia)

Provides a description of the of features of dozens of the more commonly used filtering programs to improve protections for children online. Recommends PowerX with PowerBlock.

  1. Filtering Software Comparisons (TFIAP)

Lists some of the more popular filtering programs and identifies how they operate.

  1. Filtering Software Reviews (TISPA - Kinnaman)

Provides information on 18 filtering programs to improve protections for children online.

  1. Filtering and Libraries (American Library Association)

Provides a position by the American Library Association related to the use of filtering software for the Web.

  1. ICRA Standards for Web Sites

Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA) provides a broadly accepted rating system for parents to use in filtering material for children.

  1. Improving Internet Privacy (EFF.org)

"The Electronic Frontier Foundation has developed the following search privacy tips. They range from straightforward steps that offer a little protection to more complicated measures that offer near-complete safety. While we strongly urge users to follow all six tips, a lesser level of protection might be sufficient depending on your particular situation and willingness to accept risks to your privacy."

  1. Internet Privacy Tool (applesforhealth)

Law enforcement agents say a new Internet privacy tool could be a boon to criminals. The Freedom program by Zero Knowledge Systems of Montreal allows Internet users to surf the Web anonymously by giving them new digital identities that cannot be traced.

  1. Internet Rules for Children (applesforhealth)

A back-to-school survey of more than 200 parents of school-age kids found...while most parents set traditional safety rules...some are still struggling with new rules to cover their children's Internet use.

  1. Parental Control Software (Code-It)

Provides Internet protection called Kid Code Check. Free software.

  1. Parental Controls (Awesome Library)

Provides methods for controlling access to inappropriate materials for children.

  1. Parents Page

Provides links to software and articles to ensure child safety on the Internet.

  1. Ratings for TV Shows, Videos, Movies, Video Games and Computer Games (National Institute on Media and the Family - KidScore)

Rates the content of popular shows, movies, and games to provide a guide for parents. Provides ratings by age of the child and type of inappropriate content. Also provides a summary rating for each.

  1. Recommendations from Congress (COPA Commission)

Provides recommendations from the Commission on Online Child Protection. The Commission reviewed 18 types of protections for children using the Internet and the three most effective and accessible methods were Greenspaces (sites with only child-safe reviewed materials), client-side filtering, and non-HTM gTLD.

  1. Reviews of Filtering Programs (PCMag.com)

In a comparison of some of the most popular filtering programs for child safety, recommends Cybersitter 2002.

  1. Safe Internet Service Providers (Enough Is Enough)

Provides a listing of ISPs that filter Web content before it arrives at your home, as well as suggesting filtering software possibilities.

  1. Safety Suggestions for Parents (Enough Is Enough)

Provides tips to help parents make the Web more safe for their children.

  1. Safety Tips for Children and Parents (Child Quest International)

Provides tips for children and parents.

  1. Safety of Media for Children (National Institute on Media and the Family)

Provides ratings for movies, music, CD's and other media for children.

  1. Staying Street Smart on the Web (Yahoo)
  2. Tor Software to Improve Privacy (EFF.org)

"Tor is a toolset for a wide range of organizations and people that want to improve their safety and security on the Internet. Using Tor can help you anonymize web browsing and publishing, instant messaging, IRC, SSH, and other applications that use the TCP protocol. Tor also provides a platform on which software developers can build new applications with built-in anonymity, safety, and privacy features." 10-06

  1. Your IP Address (MyIPInfo.net)

Determines your IP address. If your IP address is the same after you have turned off both your computer and your modem, then you have a static IP address and should turn both off each day to reduce the chance that an intruder will associate your IP address with you. If your IP address changes each time, this is not necessary.

  1. Your IP Address (WhatIsMyIP.com)

Determines your IP address. If your IP address is the same after you have turned off both your computer and your modem, then you have a static IP address and should turn both off each day to reduce the chance that an intruder will associate your IP address with you. If your IP address changes each time, this is not necessary.

Purchase Resources

  1. ContentProtect (ContentWatch.com)

Provides flexible filtering software for children and teens. 

  1. Filtering Appliance for the Web (St. Bernard Software)

Hardware-based Internet filtering solution that monitors, reports and blocks access to inappropriate sites. For schools and libraries rather than individuals.

  1. Filtering Program for the Web (hedgebuilders.com)

Provides software that filters offensive material from the Web.

  1. Filtering Service - WiseChoice.Net (WiseChoice.net)

Provides a blocking service that sends Web requests to their computers for possible blocking before the request is answered. Costs 5 dollars per month.

  1. Filtering Software (CyberSitter)

CyberSitter is rated as one of the most effective at filtering programs for blocking adult sites on the Web. Received a PC Magazine Editor's Choice Award. Awesome Libary does not endorse this product, but provides it as an example.

  1. Safe Server for Schools and Libraries (Bess)

Provides a service that blocks objectionable Web materials through the server. Sites that are blocked have been reviewed by humans (rather than just by keyword) and the filtering can be configured for specific end users or desktops.

  1. SafeSurf