Contents
Introduction
As parents, it is important to protect our children from inappropriate content online. Installing a website blocker on your home network is the best way to start. By blocking certain websites, you can remove the risk of your children discovering content that may be age-inappropriate or otherwise dangerous.
Website blockers can range from simple filters to more sophisticated programs that add extra features like time limits and activity reports. The types of websites you decide to block will depend on what’s best for your family, but most blockers offer users the same basic protection: blocking sites with adult content, gambling sites, malicious domains, and other inappropriate materials. When picking a blocker, it's also important to make sure that it covers common web browsers (such as Chrome and Firefox) and is compatible with any mobile devices used in your household.
Types of Websites to Block
When it comes to blocking websites, there are certain types of websites that can be dangerous or cause distractions. Knowing what websites to block can help keep you and your family safe online and help reduce distractions from work or school.
This guide will cover the different types of websites that should be blocked, from malicious websites to those that contain adult content:
Websites with Malware
Websites with Malware are some of the most dangerous types of websites you can encounter on the internet. Malware is computer software intended to damage or disable computers and computer systems. When malicious software invades your device, it can cause serious security and privacy risks, gather confidential information for identity theft, slow down computers, cause system crashes and worse.
Common types of dangerous websites include:
- Websites associated with phishing attacks.
- Sites that download malicious code onto users' computers.
- Ones that serve malicious ads or manipulate search engine results.
- Software redirectors often use malware disguised as legitimate programs to hijack your browser settings in order to send you to rogue sites such as porn sites.
- Any website containing deceptive content should also be blocked for safety reasons.
It is important for all users of the internet – especially those whose work relates to sensitive data – to protect their browsing experience by regularly checking web filters used on their workstations or other devices so they know what threats exist on the web and which websites have been blocked due to malicious content.
Websites with Adult Content
Websites with adult content can present a variety of risks and dangers to children. This type of content can be accessed through websites, chat rooms, message boards, and other internet sources including pornographic sites, adult themed chat rooms and explicit blogs. Adult websites may also contain profanity, disparaging remarks towards certain ethnic groups or individuals or sexually suggestive language. Inappropriate images or videos could also be included on these website.
To help protect children from inadvertent access to inappropriate material online, parents and guardians should consider blocking adult-themed websites that are not appropriate for young viewers. It is important to note that there may be hidden dangers even with the use of filtering software—which is why it’s critical to discuss online behavior with your children and monitor their activity when they are online. This will help ensure your children play it safe while they explore the web.
Adult websites should always be blocked as they often contain images of nudity or sexual activity which can be extremely damaging to a minor’s mental development. Along with downloading inappropriate content from various adult-oriented websites, there are additional risks associated with these sites such as cyber bullying in chat rooms or being exposed to sexually explicit language or conversations between strangers on message boards. For these reasons it is essential that one blocks all sites deemed inappropriate for minors using parental control settings as well as discussing this information on the safe use of the internet with your family members so everyone remains aware of the potential pitfalls associated with unmonitored online activities.
Websites with Gambling or Illegal Activities
Certain websites can pose a risk to children or vulnerable adults, or may even be illegal in certain countries or regions. When setting up website filtering and blocking, it’s important to start by prohibiting access to sites that enable criminal activity, such as those containing gambling, drugs, pornography or any material that promotes violence.
Examples of sites that should be blocked include:
- Gambling websites: Online casinos, sports betting and other gambling sites are illegal in some countries and should be blocked.
- Piracy websites: Sites that enable users to download copyrighted materials without permission should also be blocked.
- Drug websites: Websites selling drugs such as marijuana should also be blocked for safety reasons.
- Adult content websites: Pornographic content is often against the law in some countries, so these kinds of sites should also be blocked.
- Social media accounts for inappropriate reasons: Social media accounts linked with crime can also pose a risk and therefore should not be accessible from your network.
How to Block Websites
Blocking websites on your computer or mobile device can be a useful way to protect yourself from malicious content and increase productivity. There are a number of different ways you can block websites, depending on the type of device you’re using.
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most common methods of blocking websites and the types of websites you should consider blocking.
Using Browser Settings
Blocking websites using browser settings is a quick and simple solution for controlling access to certain sites. By configuring individual browsers, you can limit users from accessing websites that are inappropriate or dangerous. It’s a good idea to set up separate browser profiles so that different blocked website rules can be applied depending on who is signed in:
- Google Chrome – In the top right-hand corner of the browser, click the icon with three dots and then select Settings. Here you will find Privacy and Security options, including Site Setting which you can use to manage site permissions. You can set specific permission for each website as well as block specific URLs.
- Mozilla Firefox – In Firefox, go to Options > Privacy & Security where there is an option for Content Blocking. This allows you to decide exactly which types of content you want blocked on a per-website basis – such as trackers, crypto miners etc – or to select “Custom” in order to block specific websites and URLs by entering them into a black list.
- Microsoft Edge – In Microsoft Edge go to Settings > Site Permissions where there is an option entitled “Block” which lets you manually enter any URL or website that you want blocked from view in the browser. These entries will be stored in your block list and will apply whenever somebody visits that page while signed into their own profile on the same device.
Using Parental Control Software
One of the best ways to block unwanted websites and content is through a dedicated parental control service. Parental control software are programs specifically designed to protect children from exposure to inappropriate material and to store sensitive data safe from intruders. Most parental control programs are installed on your computer and either execute within the operating system or launch an independent web browser window which allows the user to navigate freely while denying access to suspected malicious websites.
Generally, they come with parental controls designed to block certain website types which you specify as “inappropriate” and can also be used to keep children away from adult content.
The types of controls you can use will vary depending on the software you are using, however, some of the most popular ones include:
- Keyword-based filters
- Time limits for web access
- URL blocking
- Reporting functions that allow parents or caregivers who have been granted permission access view what was accessed online.
Depending on the program's settings and recommendations by experts, most parental control software services will also allow parents or guardians set up specific rules that must be followed while using internet-enabled devices such as:
- Limiting screen time
- Blocking specific sites deemed inappropriate (such as social networks)
- Filtering out potentially dangerous search terms.
Using Network-Level Filtering
Network-level filtering is the most effective way to block websites. Network-level filtering can be accomplished in two ways: by using a web filter or a server based network firewall.
A web filter works by analyzing website requests and comparing them against predefined rules that control which websites can be accessed. It works by providing an authentication and authorization mechanism, as well as URL blocking and keyword blocking. This ensures that users cannot visit unwanted websites or download unauthorized content without proper authorization. Additionally, this type of web filter can also protect against malicious software and phishing attempts since it can identify content with malicious intent and block it from being accessed.
A server-based network firewall is similar to a web filter but provides deeper levels of protection. This type of network protection blocks known malicious websites, online activities, and protocols from entering the network through controlling inbound traffic passed over the internet connection. It also monitors outbound traffic to ensure that only secure data is transmitted from the organization’s computers to other systems outside of its firewall perimeter.
Using either one of these methods for website blocking will help organizations protect their networks from malicious content, reduce bandwidth usage due to unwanted downloads, and make sure that employees are not wasting time accessing non-work related websites during work hours.
Conclusion
To conclude, when considering what websites to block, it is important to think about the implications for both personal and workplace use. While blocking certain types of content may protect users from being exposed to inappropriate material or experiencing harm from cybercriminals, it may also disrupt the user's workflows and significantly reduce their productivity.
Additionally, each user should be provided with the necessary tools to assess their own tolerance levels in order to make informed decisions about what websites and apps they should choose to access. Organizations should also look into ensuring that their employees have an appropriate understanding of how internet security works, as well as how they can protect themselves while online.
By taking into consideration these factors, businesses can ensure that they are adequately protecting their organizations and still allowing employees reasonable access to the internet in a secure way.