Creating a Safe Internet Environment for you and your Family with Content Filtering

What is Content Filtering?

Content filtering is the process of clearly defining what is, and is not, acceptable on a network. It can be achieved by using Software or Hardware solutions, and they use a multitude of different techniques to facilitate the filtering. Content filtering works by specifying content patterns – such as text strings or objects within images – that, if matched, indicate undesirable content that is to be screened out. A content filter will then block access to this content.

Why is Content Filtering Important?

Having an open area, restricted access and limited permissions with logs are all good techniques in protecting your family's browsing experience. However, being exposed to harmful content often happens by accident the first time, either clicking on a link from a friend one trusts or making a typo in one's search keyword, and within a very short timeframe. Therefore, content filtering is your first line of defence in protecting the eyes of you and your family on the internet by stopping the harmful content from reaching you in the first place.

Types of Content Filtering

There are a four types of content filtering on the web you should be aware of:

Network-based Filters

This type of filtering happens at some point in the transmission of the request from your device to the internet. This can happen at the local router that connects to the internet, or via a service (like DNS - Domain Name System or the phonebook of the internet), or at the router for the Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Browser-based Filters

This type of filtering happens inside your web-browser (e.g., Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge). The browser intercepts the requests before it leaves the browser and makes a determination if it fits the rules you have created.

Application-based Filters

This type of filtering happens inside of an application. It’s similar to what a browser does, but it typically encompasses all other applications on the device. Anti-Virus applications sometimes do this, and mobile applications also do this. This is commonly found in parental control applications.

Service-based Filters

This type of filtering has wide application, often overlapping with other types of filters. It can be found as an option inside a search engine, social platform (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok) and other similar platforms. This is becoming especially important in this digital age where users live and consume content inside platforms.

CleanBrowsing - Content Filtering at the Network Level in the Cloud

We have been using CleanBrowsing for more than a year now and it has been very effective in filtering harmful content on any device we own. It is a customizable DNS-based service that allows you to control what is accessible on your internet.

  • It is very easy to set-up and has built-in filters that you can turn on and off, such as Adult & Pornography.
  • It allows one to disable specific websites such as Youtube and for common services like YouTube, you can completely block it off or select different levels of filters specific to that service.
  • Because it works at the network level, it will filter any application that needs to connect to the Internet such as social media apps.
  • You have access to a dashboard as the administrator where you can see the details of what has been allowed or blocked and you can inspect every single request that was done if needed
  • You can create different profiles and restriction levels for different types of users
  • Because the configuration is at the level of the device's network configuration, it is important that you create a standard account for your user so that they cannot change the network configuration. If that is a concern, you can make this configuration at the level of your network router to which all devices connect to, bearing in mind that the device will have free access if connected using another network.