Recommendations and Best Strategies: Parental Filter for Internet Use

A parental filter for internet use is a linchpin in our recommened three-strategy for protecing your kids:

1.  An active parental management of computer use.

2.  An internet site filter that will deliberately block negative content and scenarios.

3.  A reporting/managing internet filter that will report directly to you and receive customization from you.


Active Parental Management

No parental filter for the internet will do an adequate job protecting your child from internet porn or online predators without proactive managment on your part.  By proactive we mean that your child will be exposed unless do something now.  Statistics show this to be true.  Have it in place before they ever use the computer.  You must examine the options, buy, install, personally set up, customize, become familar with, and educate your child.  The good news is that once you've got that set up, minimal maitnenance will be required.  Just don't assume that you can set it up and let it run.  Parental filters for the internet will occasionly fail (even the best ones).  And nothing is water-tight in this game.  But you can reduce 99.9% of occurences and educate your children with the rest.  Thisguide will walk you through the right steps.  

A Parental Filter For Internet Use

Technically speaking, a Parental Filter for the Internet will do exactly what it says:  filter the actual site content before it arrives on the screen.  This is your first and probably most important line of defense.  A filter simply forbids entry to the page.  This prevents both accidental and deliberate access to shady material.  The best intenet site filters will allow a high level of customization across multiple categories and various types of programs.  Do you want to disallow not only porn, but also gambling, instant messaging, file sharing, etc?  Do you want or need to limit time spent on the internet, or bar internet use at certain times?

A Reporting Filter

Most Parental filters for internet use include a reporting filter.  But you need to realize some programs either only report what pages are accessed and do not block any content or offer it as an add on option.  A judgement call is needed on your part in terms of what you actually want and who you are intending to monitor.  For a rock-solid defense, including both is ideal.  A reporting filter records all internet use and will make a record for you to review, email your a record or email you of any suspicious activity.  Each program is a little different and an internet fitler comparison is helpful.  At any rate, if theparental filter fails, you can still periodically review the usage log or warning emails to add a human element where the program may fail.

Where to Go From Here

Your first step really should be to investigate and buy an parental filter for internet use.  An overwhelmimg variety of programs exist.  We've spent a lot of our time actually testing these filters out and have come up with some clear winners.  Our number one pick is Covenant Eyes, which includes both a parental filter for internet use and a reporting filter in their full package.  (The CovenantEyes internet filter for Macintosh is in development, but the reporting filter is available now)  Best of all, bible-guide-online.com has arranged your first month free when you use this link or enter the coupon code "bibleguide" when you check out.

Don't delay.  Protect your children with a parental filter for internet use.  Assume your chidlren will be exposed if you don't.  

Go to Covenant Eyes Website to get your parental filter for internet (opens in new window)