Internet Filtering for Home

[flymo]

Originally Posted by madnlooney

i use http://www.opendns.com/ its free and you can block certain category sites like adult sites etc

+1, this one works very well

Buy some filtering software rather than looking for the free stuff.
It's advisable to buy some that allows different accounts to view different content as you might find forums like this one get blocked. So you'll need an account just for the kids and make the others account/s passwords unavailable to them.
Norton & McAfee have brought out some software but someone at work mentioned Net Nanny as they have kids old enough to use the net.
My boys only 3 so I've got a few years before I need to invest.
Whatever software you buy lookout for contextual dynamic filtering as this catches what's on the website at the time of the scan as opposed to using a remembered filter list and that software will likely use other powerful tools to filter.
Remind them that you can view the history of their browsing (if the provides this function) and I'm fairly certain they wont (at least not intentionally) seek out porn.
However, I'm afraid until someone invents a way of killing online paedophiles via high voltage shock via the mouse that they will not be totally safe despite what measures you employ (sorry - not trying to be a grinch but it's true.)

Good luck, it's nice to know other parents are thinkging about stuff like this. Makes me feel less paranoid.

[flymo]

or you could teach them what the world is really like and what to look out for and avoid

I agree but perhaps not what it's 'really' like.
There are some things too disturbing even for 30 years olds (i.e. Vanessa Phelps underarm hair).
I wish kids could stay kids for longer but you do make a champion point.

Everyone is different. What works great for one family may not be so great for another.

Kids may surf the web actively looking for icky stuff.

There are few types of filtering that are available: Black List - Blocking known bad sites, through which we’re able to block the bad sites and restrict our children’s.

[5hort5]

An option would be to lock your router down so only one computer (the main one) can get to the internet then put a proxy application on that so you can block and monitor usage and then the kids can only access the net when the main home comp is on as well saving any late night browsing.