WorldVillage is very concerned with the proliferation of indecency available to minors who use the internet. We are also concerned with government attempts to regulate the internet, especially as they relate to the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
To this end, we believe that empowering and educating parents is the key to protecting our children on the internet.
The following web pages deal with parental control of the Internet. Each of the following companies are involved in finding ways to keep the internet safe for kids, and free from government regulation. Many of them have demos of software you can download.
BESS The Internet Retriever
BESS is a WWW page which allows access to the Internet using sophisticated filtering techniques. Web pages, sites, mail, etc. containing objectionable language or images are filtered out. Although a subscription service, it is definitely worth your consideration.
Cyber Patrol v3.0 for Windows (550K) or Cyber Patrol v2.10 for Macintosh(700K)
Cyber Patrol gives you the tools you need to help shield your children from
the darker side of the Internet. Cyber Patrol features: comprehensive time
and budget management functions, multi-user capability and ChatGard¨- which
prevents children from divulging personal information online ! Cyber Patrol is the #1 Internet filtering software worldwide. We highly recommend you visit Cyber Patrol's home page for more information
Cyber Sentinel
Cyber Sentinel is a easy to use total security solution for the both business and the home user. It allows user not only to block inappropriate material(web pages, e-mail, pictures, and word processing documents) no matter what format it is in, or what it is. It also allows the owner to configure the program to run in stealth mode(so the end user doesn't know it is running). The owner can the run Cyber Sentinel later and see screenshots of when the user was in inappropriate material.
CyberSitter
Solid Oak Software offers several versions of CyberSitter. You may run it on a network or on a personal computer. They are also working on a program to help rate the internet.
Cyber Snoop
Cyber Snoop shows you which Internet sites have been visited by your children by monitoring their on-line activity. If monitoring components are disabled without a password, the computer will shut down and reinstate the missing monitoring modules. If suspect sites are found, you can use the software to generate a link to the questionable site and visit the web site through your web browser. Full Internet Blocking is optional.
Gulliver's Guardian
Gulliver's Guardian is user friendly all-in-one Internet Suite that includes a filtered Web browser (Microsoft Internet Explorer compatible), e-mail (with spell-check), news reader, and Full Armor PC Protector. Guardian provides parents, educators and businesses with a tool to control access to the Internet and their computer systems. Access to inappropriate material can be blocked easily using Guardian's System Ratings or your own Customized Ratings. The Guardian Internet Suite provides time restriction options that control the amount of hours per month, day, or time of day users can have access to the Internet.
InfoScan
InfoScan is a filtering tool for evaluating information available on networks. The main goal is to optimize the use of information sources already known by the user: electronic mail, News, local or remote databases, and so on. The full text of the articles is scanned and evaluated according to the keywords chosen by the user. The articles are displayed in a graphical and intuitive way so that the most interesting ones can be spotted immediately.
The Internet Filter
The Internet Filter is a program that monitors, filters, analyzes, and logs internet access. This site has a free, limited feature version, and allows you to purchase the full version. They also encourage comparisons of various products, so they are pretty certain they have a winner.
InterGO
These folks have a front-end software that makes the net very easy for kids to use. InterGO seamlessly combines browsing, searching, safety screening, E-mail, file transfer, telnet, virus scanning, news, and extensive reference content in an integrated series of graphical scenes. It also includes KinderGuard, their own net-filtering software.
Net Nanny
This software allows the parent to control all access to the computer, not only Internet resources, but offline computer usage as well. Check this one out!
Net Rated
Net Rated by PCDataPower blocks X-Rated Internet Sites and limits playtime and installation of unwanted programs. Net Rated is available for Windows 3.1 and Windows 95, and supports all major online services such as America Online, CompuServe, and Prodigy as well as WWW Browsers, such as Netscape, Mosiac, and NetCruiser.
Net Shepherd
Net Shepherd is a new technology for rating and filtering access to the World Wide Web. There is a lot of unique features in this package.
SPECS
Specs is a software solution that directs kids to the positive content and
allows you to filter out material you do not want your kids to see. Specs claims to be the only safe, comprehensive and free Internet viewing management solution for families and schools that does not censor sites.
Surf Watch
Download a demo of the Surfwatch software, an internet filtering program. This program was designed to protect your kids and keep the internet free and safe.
Triple Exposure
The makers of this software claim that it can track all X-rated text files and images on a hard drive, even if they are hidden. Check out the info on their home page for a product demonstration.
Wizguard
WizGuard 1.0 is designed to meet the needs of parents, schools, libraries, corporate and business employers in preventing the access to pornographic and sexually explicit material on the Internet. WizGuard 1.0 adopts a Web browser format and uses content sensitive Smart Filtering(TM) technology. The Software does not need to update the site list periodically and it automatically blocks the pornographic sites as soon as those materials are put on the Web. It recognizes PICS labels issued by RSACi and SafeSurf. The Software has features of customizable Web sites blocking and a hypertext Web access log as well as time management to enable users to monitor and control Web surfing.
X Stop
X-Stop is a series of filters and devices that monitor the user and computer for acceptable conduct and behavior in accordance with the policies of YOUR organization or home. Includes typing filter, porn filter, hacker resistance, rescue disk, password protection, and 24 hour a day updating.
Green Ribbon Campaign
The advent of the Internet has seen a staggering growth in the potential for the freedom of speech
and expression to people throughout the world. Sadly, in some quarters, this same freedom is being abused and used irresponsibly as a smoke screen to communicate in a vulgar, profane, violent, and insulting manner.
The true right of free speech is accurately carried out when self-restraint is responsibly exercised. This Green Ribbon for Responsibility in Free Speech is displayed on web sites that agree with these principles.
Safe Surf
This organization is working to create an Internet Rating Standard which will allow web browsers to detect the content of web sites before displaying. They've got lots of great information and a bunch of cool links too!
United Federation of ChildSafe Web Sites
The mission of the United Federation of ChildSafe Web Sites, (UFCWS), is to provide the means for parents to have a trust in the positive and productive content of what your children see and experience on the Web and in other environments. The UFCWS believes in Free Speech, but in RESPONSIBLE Free Speech. People should be responsible enought to consider the impact of their communication upon others who will be exposed to their media. Home of the Mad Monk of Cyberspace.
Voter's Telecommunications Watch
This is a volunteer organization, concentrating on legislation as it relates to telecommunications and civil liberties.
If you know about other parental control programs or organizations, let us know!
