Control solutions
The basic idea of control software is that it blocks access to websites or categories of websites that a user deems inappropriate. Control software may also include other features such as scheduling restrictions or personal information filters. Below you will find some features that you may want to look for in a particular piece of software.
Important Features in Control Software
- Website Filtering by Category: Virtually all control software packages can filter sites based on predefined categories such as pornography, gambling, hate speech and others. These categories allow adults to select the specific information they wish to filter for kids.
- Personal Information Blocking: Block personal information being sent from your computer. This is useful when you want to prevent kids from sending out personal details such as a name, phone number, or address.
- Editable Website Filter List: Create your own list of sites to filter. This could be useful if you wanted to prevent children from accessing a specific site, or list of sites.
- Scheduling: Scheduling allows you to select specific times when children can browse the web or chat on instant messaging programs.
- Chat Monitoring: Record chat sessions that take place on your computer. Note that most chat programs allow you to do this, however control software may have the ability to protect the log files from deletion.
Selecting a control solution
A search will yield many different software packages that may include some or all of the features listed above. Before purchasing a software package, be aware that some Internet service providers (ISPs) will offer control features with a security software suite for free, or a small monthly charge. These security suites typically include other important software such as antivirus and firewall protection. Select your ISP below to visit their security software page.
Telus: http://www.telus.com
Shaw: http://www.shawsecure.shaw.ca
Rogers: http://www.hispeed.rogers.com
Bell: http://www.bell.ca
Videotron: http://www.videotron.com
MTS: http://www.mts.ca
Eastlink: http://www.eastlink.ca
Cogeco: http://www.cogeco.ca
Aliant: http://productsandservice.bellaliant.net
If your ISP is not listed, you may want to contact them to see if they offer such a service. If your ISP does not provide a control solution, there are many software vendors who sell this type of software. Much like the ISP solutions, you will frequently find security packages that include the essentials like antivirus, personal firewall, parental controls all in one piece of software. Typing the phrase “security software suite” or “ control software” into your favorite search engine should give you a good starting point.
Search engines and filtering
Most search engines give the ability to turn on a safe searching feature. Typically this feature can be tuned to a specific level to filter sites which contain inappropriate content. This can be used in conjunction with control software, although many already include a search filtering capability. Links for enabling this with the search engines Google, Yahoo and Bing are provided below.
Take a look at Google's/ Yahoo's/ Bing's filtering options, or view our demos.