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Internet filtering software

Guardware iShield   [Computer Buyer]
COMPANY: Guardware PRICE: £17inc VAT  
RATING: ISSUE: 180  DATE: Mar 06
   
Verdict: iShield's approach to blocking pornographic imagery doesn't stop all 'suspect' content.

This product sets a pretty small stall - it blocks pornographic images and nothing else. It does this by analysing every image displayed by a web browser, scanning for hallmark colours (ie, flesh tones), shapes (curves, for example) and who knows what else. The password-holding administrator can choose to have images identified as pornography obscured on the fly, or simply to have iShield present a warning that the pictures on a given website are suspect. Alternatively, the application will work its magic 'passively' (ie, stealthily), reporting later on the user's actions.

Surprisingly, perhaps, it works brilliantly, but we experienced one significant flaw - naughty pictures may be briefly displayed before being obscured. That seems something of a cock-up to us.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Requirements Windows 98/Me/2000/XP, Pentium 133MHz processor, 32MB RAM
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