Lab

Internet filtering software

The internet is a window on the world and is home to images and information that won't always be to everyone's liking. Just like the real world, the online environment harbours both unpleasant and sometimes illicit aspects, from sites that host pornography to file-sharing services that enable people to trade all manner of content - legal or otherwise.

If you are a parent, a child's guardian or are otherwise responsible for the type of content that other users of a computer may be exposed to, such as a company's IT manager, these issues may be a cause for concern.

Parents, for example, may wish to ensure that their children don't stumble upon sites containing explicit sexual imagery, while still affording them the opportunity to explore the internet. Similarly, someone running a small firm may want to restrict their staff's internet activities to work-related matters, at least during business hours. In situations like these, thoughts might turn to ways to combating undesirable or illegal online material.

Filtering Deficiencies

One option is so-called internet filtering software - programs designed specifically to sift online activities deemed unwelcome or otherwise disallowed. In simple terms, these applications constantly monitor all online activities performed on a computer, relying on 'triggers' to identify those considered suspect. Then, depending on the rules the program is following, a particular process may be logged, interrupted or even halted in its tracks. For example, an internet filtering package may be instructed to block access to a list of websites known to contain pornographic materials. Should the user attempt to connect to one of the flagged sites, the application will step in to prevent them. Alternatively, keywords can serve as triggers, so that attempts to view websites containing certain suspect words or phrases can be stopped.

However, internet filtering technology is far from infallible. It might be easy enough for a parent to decide to block their children from viewing material that's bad, but defining what is and what isn't 'bad' is a highly subjective matter. Computers can only follow rules and sometimes, even seemingly clear-cut ones can cause problems. A well-meaning office manager, for example, might configure an internet filtering application to prevent staff from accessing any website address that includes the word 'sex', in order to ensure that employees' minds and fingers don't stray from work matters. But to do so may prove ineffective, not to mention creating unintended frustration. Porn sites don't necessarily have 'sex' in their web address and users might have perfectly legitimate reasons for wanting to connect to, say, a site to do with 'Sussex'.

Other lines of defence

To be really useful, internet filtering software must employ a variety of techniques and strategies - and that's just what the programs we look at here do. The most advanced of the genre are said by their developers to be able to detect pornographic images by analysing pictures for tell-tale signs, like excessive flesh tones and shapes. However, in reality, the results can be hit-and-miss.

So, the bottom line is that internet filtering software can certainly be one line of defence when it comes to preventing access to certain aspects of the online world, but it's not a cure-all. Small businesses hoping to reduce non-work related internet use among staff would be wise to treat their employees maturely, implement old-fashioned honesty and trust policies; while those concerned about their children's online welfare shouldn't fool themselves into thinking that software can act as a proxy guardian. Read on for our reviews of five current internet filtering applications to see which one is best suited to your needs.