The internet is a evolving community, home to everything from exotic recipes to ridiculous videos to books that are no longer in print. In recent years, as the Web 2.0 revolution shifted the focus of the content online from websites to individual users, the amount and variety of data and entertainment available has exploded. Unfortunately, while the nature of the internet permits for the mass publication of just about anything, it also means that a considerable percentage of what s available might not be appropriate for minors (or in certain cases, anyone at all).
Protecting children from the hazards of dangerous and adult material online has been a tremendous challenge for parents and schools since the internet became a part of daily life for the majority of Americans. Some may feel in their frustration that the easiest solution is to simply keep children off the internet entirely, but research has shown that keeping kids offline can stunt their development in the information age.
The internet is a priceless tool for the near instant transfer of information, and being able to navigate it effectively is an indispensable skill in the modern world. Students can benefit greatly from the educational material online as well, so it s understood that some sort of compromise must be made to allow children some access to the internet. Web filters are the most common programs that familys and schools utilize to try to allow children online without giving them access to everything on the web.
The balance that any web filter must create between permitting some but not all content in is a difficult one, and many services are criticized for either blocking legitimate content or allowing objectionable content through. Some filters even suffer from both of these problems simultaneously. Even worse, some filters can easily be subverted by inquisitive teenagers with little to no technical skill required.
Google, being the single most popular search engine on the planet, is stop #1 for many web users and especially most of the younger users. There s lots of safe content out there for children to access, and Google has always offered its own filter for search results, which has been very successful. Unfortunately these settings could easily be changed by any user, including the ones who shouldn t not be getting unfiltered content in the first place.
Now, Google has launched an improvement that allows users to lock the SafeSearch option with a password to stop kids from changing the settings. The results subsequently generated by Google s search engine while these SafeSearch settings are in place will also be visibly different from the normal search results, with a large image of colored balls in the upper right corner letting parents and teachers know even from across the room that the filter is still working.
There s more than one way to keep kids safe online, and the best option is to combine several layers of protection. Google s new SafeSearch is a valuable tool to help keep offensive material away from minors, but it s no substitute for active involvement with children while they are using the internet and education about the dangers that lie in the unsavory parts of the web.
Geek Choice is proud of educating you about the daily advances introduced to this world in which our company continues to grow. If you ever have any questions, feel free to contact one of us. We are a Computer Repair business specializing in: Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, Data Backup, Data Recovery, Wireless Networks, Business Networking, and a lot more. At Geek Choice we can fix a wide range of problems including: Slow Computer, Slow Internet, Printer not printing, blue screen of death, and anything else computer related. Give Geek Choice a call any time at 1 800 GEEK HELP (433 5435).
Author Resource:
Gregg Housh holds the position of Technician Manager at Geek Choice. At Geek Choice we solve computer problems such as: http://www.geekchoice.com Slow computer, http://www.geekchoice.com/virus-and-spyware-cleanup.php Virus Removal, http://www.geekchoice.com/virus-and-spyware-cleanup.php Spyware Removal, Computer startup problems, Printer not printing, Not connecting to the Internet, and much more.
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