e-Safe implies Internet Secured/ Security!

What does children and internet security mean? The hard fact is that most of us parents, in an attempt to be trendy and to provide equal opportunities to our kids have given then complete access to internet; either to chat with friends, join social networking groups, play games, and download content. What is the problem with all that? Well, the internet is flooded with every type of content and activities you can't probably imagine. It tries to depict the real world but it's worst because there are no police officers within the network of networks that make up the internet. Therefore, most 'bad guys' use the internet to commit all sorts of atrocities. A child might never understand the magnitude of a mere chat on the internet or a blinking link at the corner of a page. One could argue, children do search only on specific topics! The truth is that Google is not a moral institution that will filter content by default because it's hard to determine who is sitting behind the computer. Google like any other search engine is out to make money, they will therefore, display top blinking ads alongside quality results of any internet search. Google has a stream of paying advertisers who want their content to future on specific keyword searches. So, a child is exposed to all the content and activities targeted for adult users.

What's the solution? Google has realized these draw backs and tries to protect children; however, only a parent can make that happen. How? Google has what is called 'SafeSearch' the result from a safe search is filtered to extract adult/violent content to serve young audiences. It's possible to adapt the browser settings for more aggressive filtering. The problem is that 'SafeSearch' functionality does not come by defualt--initially configured. The defualt is the generic search functionality for adult/violent content.

To be able to install and set up a 'SafeSearch' browser for your children, please use the following procedure originating from Google website.

About Google's SafeSearch filter

(Source: Google.com)

Will 'Safesearch' offer complete protection? Unfortunately not. If a child enters a link to a web resource that resource will not be blocked. Further optimization could be done on the browser to cater for such lapses. Again, its an additional help with its limitations. Note the last sentence in the Google SafeSearch filter settings!

he next and a more systemic level of protection is to control network traffic, be it directly through the browser, email clients, or chat clients. A valuable tool for this is an 'internet security software', this software comes in most but not all cases bundled with anti-virus programs. it's important to know which software version offers 'web content' or children protection. What's the difference between antivirus and internet security? as the name implies, anti-virus; is meant to capture viruses that are within the computer. It does nothing to protect a user from infiltrations--unwanted connections that are not necessarily viruses, it does not block violent or adult content. Internet security on the other hand blocks unwanted traffic and attackers to a computer and could be customized to filter unwanted violent/adult content.

Internet Safety Software Analysis

I was able to analyse three internet security related software. The first software evaluated was Norton 360. This comes by default with every new computer one buys, particularly from 'Media Markt'. The free trial software which comes with a new computer expires within 60 to 90 days, thereafter, one's computer becomes a play-ground for all sorts of attacks. Norton 360 comes with a setting to protect children from violent/adult web content but not by default. Unfortunately, I was able to test on a German installation, however, it's easy to understand the procedure as indicated in figure 1 below. Use the system setting 'Einstellungen'--> Configuration 'Konfigurieren'--> Children safety 'Kindersicherung' options, to activate violent/adult content protection.

Figure 1: Norton 360 child protection settings

After making the necessary settings, It was possible to filter SOME adult/violent contents. Luckily, Norton has an exclude 'family online safety guide' and a 'family safety video' embedded below

The second software evaluated was Panda. There is Panda Antivirus, Panda internet security and Panda Global Protection. The most protective version for adult users on personal computer is the most advanced Global Protection; however, this version or update does not install 'web content control' per default. To activate web content protection within the Global Protection version, a user needs to install the feature as illustrated in figure 2 below. However, installing Panda Internet Security, will automatically activate this feature but mark you, unlike Panda Global security, Panda Internet Security might not necessarily be bundled with anti-virus software.

Figure 2: Installing web content control on Panda Global Protection.

An other software which is equally helpful is Kaspersky security 2010, it's possible to adjust the settings to suit one's desired level of customization.

It's important to note that irrespectively of the security settings once the software expires, there is no guarantee that the security rules remain in place. Please get a new version.

Forward any feedback to: carlson(at)saf03.ch

By Carlson Ngwa