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To keep their children safe on the web, millions of schools and parents around the country rely on Internet filtering software, like ‘Net Nanny’ and ‘Cyber Patrol’. But many experts say those protections might not be enough.

Claire’s high school had restrictions on their computers, but it wasn’t enough.
“There were a lot of people who got around it,” she says, “found ways of typing in a certain address, [and] emailing a link to themselves – so that it’ll open up.”

Lura’s school had web filters as well, but that didn’t keep a stalker from finding out where she was at all times.

“He would look on my accounts and stuff to see when I had been active and things like that, so to see what locations I was at,” she says, “’cause a lot of these things say – you can look at the IP address or anything.”

With that information, he knew exactly which computer she was logged into and when. “So he would actually go to those places and stuff,” says Lura. “He would even know when I was in my room, because of that.”

She eventually had to get a restraining order.

Even though these filters are designed to protect kids, a recent report from the U.S. Justice Department says they’re just not enough.

“[Internet filters] can be a useful first defense,” says Jamey Brown, Systems Administrator at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), “but I think that education of the parents is absolutely essential, because [if] the kids have a strong desire to do these kinds of things, then they’re going to find ways around even some of the best protections.”

Brown says one of the best things parents can do is research these web filters and get advice from your local computer store. “It’s not as hard as it looks to a lot of these parents,” he says. “They just have to take initiative and they have to go for it and make sure their kids are safe.”

And most importantly, experts say, monitor what your kids are doing on the computer.

“Put the machine in a public area [at home],” says Germaine Brown, Technology Services Manager at SCAD. “Put it in the family room, you know, in the den where everybody can see what’s going on.”

What We Need To Know

• There’s a lot of “nanny” software out there, but shop carefully before you buy. Some filters are rather clumsy in blocking sites. Try to find ones that you can customize yourself. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)




• Put the computer in a prominent, busy place in your house. Check the history on the computer. You’ll find out what kinds of websites your children are going to, and what they are looking at. (Heather Lackey, Undercover Police Officer)




• Be aware of what happens in chat rooms. Make sure your teen is not sharing any personal information with anyone they don’t know directly. (James Murray, Peachtree City Police Chief)




• Filtering programs are not a substitute for good judgment or critical thinking. With or without filters, children and their parents need to be “net savvy,” and communicate with each other. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)

Resources

• Pew Internet and American Life Project
• Internet Education Foundation
• U.S. Department of Justice, Parents Guide to Children’s Online Safety

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