[Blackmirror]

BBC NEWS | UK | Web content 'disturbing children'

Thats disturbing

Three out of four children have seen images on the internet that disturbed them, an NSPCC poll suggests.

How can we protect our children ?
The televison as well can be disturbing for some

I have been directed to smutty images when i have been searching for harmless pictures

Surely its time for a crackdown

"Children are just a few clicks away from innocently stumbling across upsetting or even dangerous pictures and films such as adult sex scenes, violent dog fights, people self-harming and children being assaulted."

[dudeking]

The webs a dodgy place... but no matter what should remain free and open! Content filters need to be improved and managed from client side, not enforced by ISPs. Something like openDNS, where you select what is to be filtered and then the ISP enforce it. Simply putting a blanket ban on stuff never works.

[Dotty]

I agree, whether it's tv or the internet there will always be content that can easily be viewed by children, the answer imo is put them to bed after their tea, job done

[evilfantasy]

It's still much "safer" then it as 7-8 years ago. There was a time when no matter what search term you typed into a search engine and it was a slew of p0rn links.

I also think it is much more disturbing to parents then it is children...

[Rik]

That's what parental controls are for, the parents need educating.

[Dotty]

yep they do, also, lots of kids are allowed to use the internet and tv in their own rooms without parents checking on them.

[Blackmirror]

I know Ask.com UK Web Search has a flilter

Alert: Filtering has occurred which reduced direct exposure to sexually explicit content.
I am over 18 and want to view all Adult Image results

Google doesnt appear to have that

What ever parental software is used there is always something that will slip through the net

[evilfantasy]

*Burning the midnight oil here...

None will be perfect.

Web, email, chat, password and kids safety

Enabling porn filters for major search engines

• AOL Search - Doesn't appear to offer a filter, but enabling Parental Controls might have an impact on web search matches.
• Ask Jeeves - Use options for Content Filtering on the Your Settings page or try Ask Jeeves For Kids, listed above.
• Google - See the SafeSearch help page for instructions on setting up filtering on a permanent or as-needed basis.
• Lycos - Use the Adult Filter section of the Advanced Search Filters page.
• MSN Search - Use the Safe Search Filter on the Settings page.
• Yahoo! - Set the SafeSearch Filter option via the Search Preferences page.

[Albert Lionheart]

There is no hope for us if the UK government is going to give 5 year olds sex lessons. And they will be totally amazed at children who want to find out more and will (almost) instinctivly look at the net for it - and guess what they will find? Exactly the opposite of what these misguided idiots are trying to teach them! Aaarrgh!

[Blackmirror]

BBC NEWS | Technology | Australia trials national net filters

Is the Rudd government about to erect a Great Firewall of Australia - introducing a form of internet censorship that will infringe upon the freedom of computer users to browse the worldwide web?

[Albert Lionheart]

I don't want to appear churlish, but please keep these disturbing children away from me. Thanks.

[Blackmirror]

5 is too young

Had a flashback to my first Biology lesson at high school
A very embarrassed Lady telling a class of 11 year old girls the facts of life..
We knew it already

Then a few weeks later a very embarrassed male teacher and a sex education lesson involving birth control pills cucumbers and condoms

His face was a picture and rather red

[Rik]

Originally Posted by Blackmirror

I know Ask.com UK Web Search has a flilter
Google doesnt appear to have that

Both google and yahoo have filters, both are called safe search and are enabled by default. Have a look in the advanced options.

[Blackmirror]

Oh yes so it has
thanks Rik
It was set on moderate anyway
I am the only user on here now

[Albert Lionheart]

Now you mention it, I checked mine (which has never been touched since installation) and it was set at moderate. If you type in the s*x word it produces all sorts of stuff to further my education. Hmmmm.

[Blackmirror]

Make you go blind Albert ..
On a more serious note Porn is big business. i cant ever see a porn free www

[Albert Lionheart]

That is a lie! A foul calumny! A porky of humungus proportion! Never touched it!

[wektech]

The real issue here is parents that use computers and television to entertain their children without any oversight. The article contends that many parents do not have the tech savvy to effectively install and use filtering tools, so that the filtering software should be installed and configured by default. I reject the notion that parents should be abdicated of the responsibility to protect their children. If it is true that 3 out of 4 children have found disturbing content on the internet, then we must conclude that 3 out of 4 parents are not effective at parenting their children. ( I do think that number is exagerated due to the method of data collection and the lack of definition of what a child finds disturbing. )

The internet is basically a utility service, such as water, electricity, and natural gas. Each can be quite dangerous to children if they are used without the supervision of an adult. It is up to the adults that supervise the children to protect the children from misuse of these products.

[Blackmirror]

At what age do you trust them to surf alone ?
There are just so many dangers from chat rooms and IM s as well
Im glad mine are grown up

[wektech]

There is no specific age when you can trust a child to use the internet safely. As a parent, part of your responsibility is to judge the maturity level and abilities of a child before allowing then the freedom of independent actions. What surprises me is that parents that would never let their immature child cross the street alone will allow the same child unfettered access to the internet.

I would also point out that no child has ever been harmed by a chat room, instant message, or social networking site. The harm is caused by people who take advantage of the fact that children are not being properly supervised while using these products.