Labs

McAfee's Privacy Service uses a predefined list of URLs and keywords that determine whether or not a site should be blocked. It is very easy to install and set up, and you can customise it for individual users.

The main settings are defined by age group, ranging from young child to adult. An adult user has no websites blocked at all, while a young child has a large number of sites blocked, including MSN and the BBC. However, Google wasn't blocked, and Privacy Service allowed an image search on the word 'sex' and even displayed a page full of pictures before eventually

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encountering a phrase that triggered a block. Clearly the quality of the filtering leaves much to be desired. You can fine-tune the filtering, but only by entering URLs that you want to block or allow; you can't add your own keywords.

One welcome feature is the ability to stop users including personal information in their messages. If you enter the user's name, telephone number and other personal details that you would rather they didn't disclose, these are replaced by dummy phrases in any messages the user sends.

Privacy Service logs all internet access and includes all sites a user visits and whether or not they were blocked. There are no reporting facilities, and the level of detail the service provides as to why a site was blocked isn't really sufficient.

Privacy Service is a basic protection mechanism. It is available as part of a wider set of internet security tools in McAfee Internet Security Suite 2005, including a firewall, virus checker and anti-spyware features. Users who need only limited internet filtering may find the package attractive, but if you have a serious need to control internet use, this won't be your first choice.