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WHICH INTERNET
FILTERS PROTECT THE BEST?
Recommended by Consumer Reports www.consumerreports.org
Filtering software is no substitute for parental
supervision. Most of the products consumer reports tested failed
to block one objectionable site in five. America Online's Young
Teen (or Kids Only) setting provides the best protection, though
it will likely curb access to web sites addressing political and
social issues.
If you're not an AOL user but still want some
restriction on your kids' access to the Internet, consider which
product's features best suit your needs. Some examples:
 Cyber
Patrol, the most full-featured product, has the most
extensive controls over when your child can go online, plus the
ability to block or unblock sites that deal with sex education.
Cybersitter
2000 and Norton Internet Security 2001 both
let you control access to at least 20 categories of subject
matter.
Cybersitter
2000, Net Nanny, and Cyber Snoop can all keep a log
of your child's online activity, including any attempts to view
blocked sites.
Nearly all the filters offer some control over the
disclosure of personal information, such as name and address. But
we found such privacy protection too weak to rely on.
People who visit sites they don't want their kids to
see can delete the browser's off-line files--where it saves copies
of recently visited web pages. And you can check your child's
recent online activities by reviewing the browser's history list
and bookmarks. The Webmeister recommends that you check
your PC. To check for any adult images your child may have
downloaded from the Internet, search your hard drive for recent
files with names ending in .gif, .jpg, .tif, or .zip.
Two sites that provide information on how to protect children
online are www.getnetwise.org
and www.safekids.com
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