Also Try
- Acceptable Use Policies
Lesson Plans
- Internet Safety Lessons (i-Safe)
Provides seven lessons on Internet safety for children and teens.
- Safety on the Net (McMillan McGraw-Hill - Cybersmart)
Covers Internet safety, research, manners, and how to identify advertising. 9-01
Lists
- Family Safe Search Engine (FAmily-Source.com)
Searches over 2.3 million family-safe sites. 11-03
- Internet Filtering Software (SafetySurf.com)
Provides a list of preferred Internet filtering software. Recommends the FamilyConnect software. 6-03
- Privacy Online - Resources (Truste)
Provides suggestions to help consumers protect their privacy online. 9-01
Materials
- Browser for Children (AmiWeb)
Provides a free browser that does not allow children to go to unsafe Web content and does not let them use other software or programs. Password protected. 7-01
- Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) (Time.com)
Describes new law to protect the privacy of children. Effective start date is April 21, 2000. 4-00
- Filtering Browser (Surf Monkey)
Provides free Web browser for children to filter unwanted materials. 11-00
- Internet Explorer Internet Filtering Software (Internet Explorer)
Allows you to set the level of filtering in four categories. Password protected and can easily be turned off if you have the password. To turn on the filter, go to Tools, Internet Options, Content, then Content Advisor. Select Enable and then provide the password (of your choosing). Select the levels of filtering you want. To turn off the filter, go back to the Content Advisor and select Disable. (You will need to use your password.) This filtering method is very restrictive and you must use your password to access sites for the first time that have not been rated--in other words, most sites. 6-03
- Parental Controls (SurfControl.com)
Provides filtering software for child safety. Provides a free trial version. 1-01
- Search Guard (Lycos)
Provides screening of searches, using the Lycos search engine.
- Specs for Kids - Free Version - Rated Excellent by Internet World
- Spyware Remover (SpyBot)
Provides reviews of the top software programs that remove unwanted programs from your computer that spy on you and send the information to marketers or hackers. Spybot Search and Destroy was the top rated program by PC Magazine in April of 2003. It is also free. 7-03
- We-Blocker Filtering Software - Review (ABA.Gov.au)
Provides a summary of reviews of the free software. Some have liked it a great deal while others complained that they had to pay to gain a password to get it uninstalled. 6-03
- We-Blocker Filtering Software - Review (eOpinions.com)
Provides a summary of reviews of the free software. 6-03
- We-Blocker Filtering Software - Reviews (FamilyEducationNetwork.com)
Provides reviews of the free software. 6-03
News
- 06-23-03 Supreme Court Upholds Filtering Requirement for Libraries (MSNBC.com)
"A divided Supreme Court ruled Monday that Congress can force the nation’s public libraries to equip computers with anti-pornography filters. The blocking technology, intended to keep smut from children, does not violate the First Amendment even though it shuts off some legitimate, informational Web sites, the court held." 6-03
- 08-13-03 Supreme Court Upholds Filtering Requirement for Libraries - Again (CNN)
"In a legal balancing act, the Supreme Court has decided Congress is allowed to protect children from pornography on public library computers, a move the majority said does not infringe on the free speech rights of others." 8-03
- Law - Child Protection Online for Libraries and Schools (CNN)
Describes new legislation to protect children online. 12-00
- Law to Stop Pornography in Libraries and Schools Is Overturned (CNN)
"Public libraries cannot be forced to use Internet filters designed to block pornography, three federal judges said Friday in overturning a new federal law." 5-02
- Laws on Internet Protection in Schools and Libraries (Education Week - Trotter)
Provides a summary of the provisions of the Internet child protection laws, CIPA and NCIPA. 1-01
- New Kids.Us Domain Established for Safety (ESchoolNews.com)
"After opening its doors for registration in June, the company overseeing development of the world's first child-friendly internet space says its kids.us web domain is gaining momentum. Still, its critics believe content providers will have trouble warming up to the service, which would require companies to register and operate at a separate location on the web." 7-03
- Privacy Laws (Wired Digital - Oakes)
Provides an update on the Safe Harbor law, restricting the collection of private information from individuals surfing the Web. 11-00
Papers
- -Parental Controls (Education World - Hopkins)
 Provides a discussion of methods for controlling access to inappropriate materials for children. Also provides excellent links.
- -Safety on the Web (Internet Alliance - Magid)
Child Safety on the Information Highway provides a discussion and guidelines for child safety. It is one of the most authoritative guides on this topic.
- Children's Online Privacy Protection Act - Compliance (About.com)
Discusses how Web sites need to comply with the law. 8-03
- Culture of Disrespect (National Institute on Media and the Family - Walsh)
Provides an essay on the shifting norms that support disrespectful behavior in children.
- Cybersitter Review (PCMag.com)
Reviews PC Magazine's Editor's Choice for best filtering software. 7-03
- 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. 6-03
- Effectiveness of Internet Filtering Software (ConsumerReports.org)
Provides a description of the types of Internet filtering methods and evaluation results for some of the more popular software. 6-03
- 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). 10-00
- 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.
- 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. 6-03
- FamilyConnect Internet Filtering Software - Review (FamilyEducation.com)
Provides two reviews of FamilyConnect Internet filtering software. 6-03
- FamilyConnect Internet Filtering Software - Review (eOpinions.com)
Provides three reviews of FamilyConnect Internet filtering software. 6-03
- File-Sharing Program Sends Porn (CNN - Barrett)
Describes a file-sharing program now commonly used by teens that may unintentionally send adult material. 7-01
- Filter Software Review (InternetFilterReview.com)
Reviews 10 popular Internet filtering programs. Recommends ContentProtect as the best overall. 7-03
- Filtering Approaches (American Library Association - ICONN)
Provides an essay about the use of filters for protecting children. 12-00
- Filtering Software Comparison (TIFAP)
Provides a list of filters for protection of children. Identifies how they work (porxy server or client) and what operating systems they accommodate, but does not evaluate their effectiveness. 11-00
- Filtering Software Comparisons (4decency.com)
Provides an evaluation and description of CyberSitter, CyberPatrol, X-Stop, SurfControl (Surfwatch), Webchaperone. CyberSitter was one of the most effective at blocking adult sites on the Web. 11-00
- 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. 11-00
- Filtering Software Comparisons (GetNetWise.org)
Provides descriptions for dozens of filtering tools. 11-00
- 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. 11-00
- Filtering Software Comparisons (Neosoft)
Provides a comparison of features available in six of the more commonly used filtering programs to improve protections for children online. Includes a comparison of CyberSitter, Cyberpatrol, InterGO, Surfwatch, NetNanny, Internet in a Box for Kids. 7-03
- Filtering Software Comparisons (TFIAP)
Lists some of the more popular filtering programs and identifies how they operate. 11-00
- Filtering Software Reviews (TISPA - Kinnaman)
Provides information on 18 filtering programs to improve protections for children online. 11-00
- Filtering and Libraries (American Library Association)
Provides a position by the American Library Association related to the use of filtering software for the Web. 11-00
- Guidelines for Online Safety (Magid)
Provides information for parents and children. From the brochure published by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
- 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.
- 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. 01-14-00.
- 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. 08-20-99.
- Law - Child Protection Online for Libraries and Schools (American Library Association)
Describes legislation to protect children online and advocates against use of filtering software by libraries. 12-00
- Law - Children's Internet Protection Act (EPIC)
Describes CIPA legislation to protect children online. Uses PDF format. 12-00
- Law - Neighborhood Children's Internet Protection Act (EPIC)
Describes NCIPA legislation to protect children online. Uses PDF format. 12-00
- Law to Stop Pornography in Libraries Goes to U.S. Supreme Court (CNN - )
"The Supreme Court said Tuesday it will decide if public libraries can be forced to install software blocking sexually explicit Web sites." 11-02
- Law to Stop Pornography in Libraries and Schools Is Challenged (NewsFactor.com - Gill)
Describes why the American Library Association, Multnomah County Public Library (the Plaintiff), and others oppose a new law for filtering Internet content. 3-02
- Missing Children Prevention (Child Quest International)
"A non-profit corporation dedicated to the protection and recovery of missing, abused, and exploited children." Includes tips for parents to help prevent abduction or kidnapping.
- Missing Children Prevention - Tips for Children (Child Quest International)
"A non-profit corporation dedicated to the protection and recovery of missing, abused, and exploited children." Includes tips for children to help prevent abduction or kidnapping.
- Parental Controls (Awesome Library)
Provides methods for controlling access to inappropriate materials for children.
- Parental Controls and Child Safety (Ashton)
Provides a United Kingdom pack for making the Internet safer. Awesome Library is one of 11 recommended search engines. 2-02
- Ratings for CD-ROM Games (National Institute on Media and the Family - KidScore)
Rates the content of popular 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 game.
- 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.
- 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. 10-00
- Reviews of Filtering Programs (PCMag.com)
In a comparison of some of the most popular filtering programs for child safety, recommends Cybersitter 2002. 7-03
- 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. 6-00.
- Safety Suggestions for Parents (Enough Is Enough)
Provides tips to help parents make the Web more safe for their children. 6-00.
- Safety Tips for Children and Parents (Child Quest International)
Provides tips for children and parents. 1-04
- Safety of Media for Children (National Institute on Media and the Family)
Provides ratings for movies, music, CD's and other media for children.
- Spyware Removers (PC Magazine)
Provides reviews of the top software programs that remove unwanted programs from your computer that spy on you and send the information to marketers or hackers. Spybot Search and Destroy was the top rated program. It is also free. 7-03
- Staying Street Smart on the Web (Yahoo)
- Supreme Court Ruling on Obscenity - Miller v. California (Legal Information Institute)
Provides a definition of obscenity and upholds government's rights to enforce laws against obscenity. 6-00.
- Supreme Court Rulings on Obscenity (Legal Information Institute)
Provides the key rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court regarding obscenity. "Click" the "plus" sign to the left of a ruling to select it. 6-00.
- Video Game Violence - Results from Research (National Institute on Media and the Family - Walsh)
Provides results on how violent video games affect children, especially younger children. Research suggests that exposure of younger children to violent video games is undesirable, but Walsh also made a chilling observation, based on Grossman's work. "The techniques used by the army to enable soldiers to kill are the very same techniques used in today’s violent electronic games."
Projects
- Video Games and Your Kids (National Institute on Media and the Family)
Provides activities parents can engage in with their children to help their children become more informed, and safer, consumers.
Purchase Resources
- -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. 9-03
- Browser for Children (SafetyNetClub Browser)
Provides a browser that does not allow children to go to unsafe Web content and allows them to use only sites that have been reviewed. Password protected. 7-01
- ContentProtect (ContentWatch.com)
Provides flexible filtering software for children and teens. 7-03
- 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. 2-02
- Filtering Program for the Web (hedgebuilders.com)
Provides software that filters offensive material from the Web. 11-00
- Filtering Program for the Web (puresight.net)
Provides software that filters offensive material from the Web using intelligent language assessment rather than a list of offensive sites. 11-00
- 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. 8-01
- 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. 11-00
- Filtering Software - X-Stop (8e6 Technologies)
Provides home or school based filtering of the Internet using computer based searches for offensive sites that are added to a list of blocked sites. Updating is automatic by the seller. Claims over 95 percent success rate. Parental or teacher supervision is still necessary. The review site, 4decency.org, did not give this software a strong recommendation. 11-00
- Language Filtering for TV, DVD, and Videotape (TVCorp.com)
Provides a product which claims to remove offensive language. (Awesome Library has not tried this product and does not endorse it, but provides it as an example.) 11-01
- Parents Page
Provides links to software and articles to ensure child safety on the Internet.
- 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. 1-01.
- SafeSurf
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