Internet Resources for Parents

We have listed some of the many resources available to help parents protect their children against unsuitable material on the internet.

In Australia, internet content is regulated by the Australian Broadcasting Authority who provide a useful guide for Australian families.

Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSAC) is a rating system that works with Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator (4.5 or higher) and other browsers. Web sites register with RSAC and self rate themselves in terms of nudity, sex, language and violence.

SafeSurf is a voluntary rating system designed to protect children, as well as the first amendment rights of their parents. ... It's structure is different from other rating systems in several ways. First, it is more detailed. Second, its goal is to objectively describe both content and how that content is presented. Third, it is the first system designed to allow those who self-rate and those who evaluate to have enough flexibility to reach an accord on a rating without compromising SafeSurf's purpose of protecting the innocence of children.

Parental Control Services

AUP Action Tools iTech, Inc.	Provides blocking and filtering of 25,000 potentially offensive sites. Designed for district school use, AUP can handle hundreds of computers simultaneously. Blocks chat and news sites. Bounces email if it contains offensive language. Separate filters for elementary, middle and high schools.
Bess, The Internet Retriever N2H2	Subscription based service from ISP's or Proxy server for schools & libraries. Uses Inktomi Corp's search engine, with filtering services for inappropriate content and adult advertising. Bess web site offers thousands of pre-determined links for children.
Chi-Brow 2.0 KCS & Associates	Simplified children's browser that gives parents total control of designating appropriate web sites and blocking objectionable ones. Includes database of recommended sites. $39.95.
CyberPatrol 3.3 Learning Company	One of the easier security devices to configure and use. Allows multi-user access with customizable profiles for each family member. Uses PICS standard for blocking of inappropriate sites. Also allows use of predetermined sites. Parents can edit CyberYes/CyberNot lists. $29.95 plus monthly subscription fee.
CyberSentinel 1.5 Security Software Systems, Inc.	Monitors chatrooms, email, search engines and browsers using a contextual text-recognition system. Captures and logs offending screens. Also tracks offline software usage. Can be used in stealth mode or with active warnings. $49.99
Disk Tracy Watchsoft, Inc.	Home/Network versions. Screens and blocks undesireable content. Logs reports on sites visited and material downloaded/stored on the computer. $34.95.
Ed View Ed View, Inc.	EdView Smart Zone search engine of 7 million pages of educator-reviewed child safe sites allows users to see appropriate content, while blocking pieces and subsets of sites. Content is organized by subject. Password- protected software keeps users in safe areas. Blocking is age-specific. A Family Edition sells for $39.95 and includes entertainment sites. School building licenses are also affordably priced.
Email For Kids ConnectSoft	Parents can edit outgoing/incoming message content, address book entries and online time. Prevents personal disclosures, controls # of messages sent, and regulates who communicates with your children. $29.95. AOL, Prodigy and Compuserve editions av ailable at reduced fee.

GuardiaNet v 3.0 Landmark Community Interests	Server-based content filtering that allows parents to customize levels of access for each family member, according to family values. Uses SafeSurf's list of recommended sites. $59.95 first yr. $29.95 to renew. School pricing available.
I-Gear URLabs	Proprietary content management software for the K-12 Education Market. Dynamic document review analyzes content of the pages. Filtering can be tailored to meet the needs of every user. Software tracks pages accessed and keywords used. A separate ma il filtering product is available.
Internet Filter Suite 1.0 Turner Investigations	A monitoring and filtering program that allows parents to control site access, undesirable words, newsgroups, chat sessions. Logs all data transfers. Emails parents when violations occur. $40.00
iWay Patrol iTech, Inc.	Content filtering is enforced at the system level, preventing students from access to Chat Rooms, gambling, games, sex or pornography sites on the WWW. Teachers can add/delete sites from blocking lists or restrict access to specific sites.
KidDesk Internet Safe Edmark	Combines a desktop security device with an Internet safety program to give parents complete control of software and internet access. Can be customized for each family member with their own photo or name plate icon, desktop environment, software pic ks and Internet destinations. Includes a timer that can be preset by parents. $29.95
Kid Web ConnectSoft	Johnny Web and his dog, Browser guide kids (age 5-10) safely through the 'net to predetermined sites. Parents regulate control. Includes permit mode, ban mode and word block. Includes special home page and subject explorer.
KiddoNet GTech Technologies Ltd.	Controlled access using a kids' browser and preapproved sites. The browser includes its own offline games and activities. Appropriate for ages 8-12.
Momma Bear Kodiak Software Systems	Desktop security device. Blocks unauthorized software access, alterations or deletions of programs. Can build set of allowable software. Recognizes renamed programs. $99. Educational disc. available.
Net Nanny 3.1 Net Nanny International	Blocks objectionable sites, phrases, personal disclosures, chatrooms, gifs & jpegs. Monitors outgoing/incoming email & other text documents. Logs violations. Custom editing. Single user and network versions. Multiple user accounts. $26.95

Planet Web Browser Planet Web, Inc.	Requires proprietary browser. Parents fill out profiles for each user. Filtering is based on user birth date, family beliefs and levels of concern. Can customize settings in 15 categories but not specific entries in database of objectionable sites.
Safe Surf Safe Surf, Inc.	Now, a browser feature of Netscape's "NetWatch" which uses the SafeSurf rating std. and adult database. Parents can block unrated sites and adjust content levels in different categories. Provides list of safe sites.
SentryCam GWG Devcore, Inc.	Logs child's Internet activities. Captures screen shots of games, chatrooms, web sites, email. Adds a time/date stamp . $34.95
Smart Alex ICU Smart Alex	Monitors computer activity both on the Internet and offline. Takes screen shots of conversations, email, word processing documents, images. $29.95
Smart Filter Burst Technology	Controls filtering of both inappropriate material for children and non-business sites that may cut into workplace productivity. Proxy Reporter adds auditing features. It identifies, categorizes and reports on user activity.
Surf Monkey Media Live/Bandai Entertainment	Rocketship browser, animated talking monkey and lively self-contained web destination for kids age 7 and up. Supervised chatrooms. Parents can block email from strangers, delete profanities and prohibit access to inappropriate sites. Uses Surfwatch for content filtering. Chat and email access can be turned off. Parents control a child's buddy list. Email has multimedia features, with text-to-speech, sound and picture capability. Works on the Internet Explorer engine. $29.95/yr.
SurfWatch 3.0 Spyglass, Inc.	One of the easiest filters to configure and use. Blocks web access and chat. $49.95 includes one yr of updates.
Surfin' Annette Spycatcher Corp.	A web browser designed for children under 18. Complete content control is in the hands of the parent. Browser detects objectionable words, phrases, URLs. List is updated monthly and parents can edit to meet their personal values. $29.95 for familie s. Free for K-12 schools.
Web Chaperone 1.1 WebCo International, Inc.	On-the-Fly scanning of web pages for appropriate content, using PICS Rating system. Has both age group and protection level settings and can be set up for multiple family users. $49.95
WebSense Netpartners, Inc.	For CISCO PIX Firewall. Uses a database of 200,000 URLs in 30 categories to screen and block site access by IP number. List is updated daily. Designed for large number of users. Tracks and reports all activities.
WinGuardian WebRoot Software	Single user and network versions. Logs all Internet activity. Locks system to prevent unauthorized use of programs. $29.95.
WinWhatWhere WinWhatWhere Corp.	Monitors both Internet useage and applications, logging program, caption, start & elapsed times. Create Internet usage reports. $29.
X-Stop v.3.01 Log-On Data Corp.	Blocks access to over 100,000 adult-only sites, offensive words on web sites, in chatgroups, email or in any text document offline. Editing capabilities. Can also block personal disclosures in outgoing mail. Updates available at no charge. $39.95.