Web Filters

Content-control software, also known as censorware or web filtering software, is a term for software designed to control what content is permitted to a reader. Content-control software determines what content will be available on a particular machine or network; the motive is often to prevent persons from viewing content which the computer's owner(s) or other authorities may consider objectionable. Common use cases of such software include parents who wish to limit what sites their children may view from home computers, schools performing the same function with regard to computers found at school, and employers restricting what content may be viewed by employees while on the job.

Teachers often have the perception that the IT staff filters as a matter of convenience.  However, some network administrators have noted that the requests for sites to be closed far outnumber the requests for sites to be opened.  Some teachers see filters as a strong aid in classroom management.  Schools with scarce resources such as bandwidth or IT personnel may also use filters to regulate those resources.

eNotes Internet Filters in Schools and Libraries page outlines some of the laws associated with filtering and child protection.

Discussions About Web Filters

• Karl Fisch's thoughts on filters in his school: part one | part two
• Electronic Frontiers Foundation report on Internet Blocking in Public Schools
• Cnet article about kids bypassing filters

Some text on this page comes from Wikipedia's Content-control software page, and is licensed under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation license.