Internet Protection for Children

Blocking Software

"Blocking" software uses a "bad site" list and prevents access to those sites. The vendor of the software identifies specified categories of work or phrases that are deemed inappropriate and configures the blocking software to block sites on which the prohibited language appears. Although some vendors allow parents to customise the "bad site" list by allowing them to add or remove sites, others keep the list secret and do not permit parents to modify it.

Although such software can be a useful tool for restricting access to inappropriate websites in certain circumstances, they can also create a false sense of security, because they cannot restrict access to all inappropriate sites for children. The number of websites published each day far exceeds the ability of software companies to review the sites and categorise them for their "bad sites" lists. "Out of approximately 3 million separate websites in existence (each website may contain two or more separate web pages and the number of separate files, pages and graphics online is estimated at 330 million), only a small fraction have been reviewed, in aggregate, by child protection software companies." Because the gap widens daily, with an estimated 160,000 new web sites registered each month, "bad sites" will inevitably get through.

Another potential drawback is that most blocking software does not differentiate between the age of the users. What may be inappropriate for an eight year old may be appropriate for a teenager. However, because most software only has one user setting to determine what should be blocked, either the teenager will be denied access to sites that are beneficial or the eight-year-old will be given access to sites that are inappropriate. In addition, in cases where software vendors do not allow parents to customise the "bad sites" list, parents cannot make an informed decision on what material should be restricted. They must rely on the judgement on an unknown third party to decide what sites are acceptable for their children.

Filtering Software

What Parents Can Do

Websites That Help Parents

Keeping Kids Safe Online