K9 Web Protection

K9 Web Protection is a free Internet filtering and control solution for the home. K9 puts parents in control of the Internet so that they can protect their children. So says the webpage: http://www1.k9webprotection.com/ .

I signed up – downloaded it, it failed.

I restarted for a second time as the site suggested and it seemed to kick in alright. Twitter and You Tube pages that were open in the browser were blocked, filtered. I tried AOL video – that was filtered.

I went to Google images and typed in Sex - okay -  the pictures are fine, naked people but nothing to offend, upset etc., it could have been lots worse and this has still got Google’s moderate filtering on, as it told me!

A poker game website was blocked, making home-made explosives was blocked, E-bay and Amazon are not blocked. So usual, normal household use of the internet seems to be fine, except maybe for video sites, my guess is that I could put exceptions and allow them if I was confident they would not be abused!

So far it does seem to be a fairly effective filter.

I went onto the website, typed in my password to alter/ view my settings. This in itself good because offspring will not know the password to get on and do this!

There are several views of what my computer has been up to – I can see the sites I tried to visit that it filtered, and the ones it has let me access. I can set the restrictions and website exceptions if required.

 

 

This is a very comprehensive system, it also tells you if someone is trying to get past the proxy :-) a favourite teen sport!!  A very effective, free filter to help internet control with older children and teens in the home!

Now - to get it off again... Tweetdeck, Twitter and Facebook seem to be really struggling!

Post script
I needed my password to remove it and it promptly e-mailed me to tell me the filter had been removed and what to do if this was not intentional!