Blocking porn sites

[rasczak]

I've got a friend who's son was "caught" looking at porn. She's asked me if I had any ideas on how to stop her son from looking at these sites and the only option I could think of was a software firewall.

Does anyone have a good firewall to recommend?

She's using an IMac running 10.4.

The biggest issue is that her son is fairly computer savvy.

Any little bit helps.

thanks!

 

[Jules]

If hes computer savvy. Try a hardware firewall for that.

 

[kingtas]

My Linksys router will block websites by keywords as well as by url.

Why not use some software like Netnanny and the like? Do they work on Macs?

 

[irishScott]

How old is the kid, and what was the nature of what he was looking at? If he's 13+ and it's straight normal stuff (ie: none of that BSDM sh!t), what's the problem?

I started looking at pr0n in 6th grade and I've turned out fine in every way.

Either way though, you can't block everything. If he really wants to see some, even hardware firewalls can't recognize every keyword. My old High School blocked a lot of porn sites, but there were still people who just googled "porn" (I wasn't one of them, but it wasn't that hard to find), found a URL that wasn't on the block list and didn't flag any keywords, and looked at it. Not that hard.

Ironically, it's when my parents found me looking at pr0n when I was younger that I first started to learn "in-depth" about computers. Like hell I was going to stop looking at it. I jst found ways around what they were doing (so called "intelligent" software). No hacking required.

 

[sieistganzfett]

def. go hardware firewall. but keep in mind, he will eventually figure out how to reset the firewall to get pass the password on the firewall when he tried to access it to disable the filter. where is the computer located? if the mother reallf wants to go 3rd reich on her child, she can simply move that imac to a location that he wont want to be, well you know. and when the parent isnt home he will then look at porn, for this the content filter in a firewall will delay it since he will probably only actively look when the parents are not around, and try to test it..

 

[olmer]

Agree with above ? there is no way hardware firewall can stop him. And it is not wise to get kid nervous by moving pc to a commonly used area. Any soft/configuring os to give him a limited account will also hardly work if parent?s level of knowledge is inferior. As long as he does not spend money/gamble...

If it is too ?bad? and drastic measures are acceptable - just password protect pc (best on BIOS level and lock a case with a heavy padlock) while not there.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Not sure about filtering software on a Macintosh and all of the corporate filtering systems are out of reach for the home user, but those can be bypassed as well..... the only way to truly prevent him from looking at it on the PC at home is to remove his access to the internet and force him to use offline encyclopedias to do school work with.

 

[Pwnbroker]

...or hire him a hooker with gonnorhea and he'll think twice about being horny....

 

[irishScott]

The only reason your friend is going this far is because she's his mom. Most women (especially older women) don't understand why guys look at porn and think it's a sick disgusting habit that will turn their son into a rapist. Even older men don't understand this (at least my dad doesn't. But he's hardcore catholic, so there you go)

As long as the material is straight, non-kinky stuff he'll be fine. Now if he starts looking at BSDM or fake rape videos, then you've got a problem...

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: irishScott
The only reason your friend is going this far is because she's his mom. Most women (especially older women) don't understand why guys look at porn and think it's a sick disgusting habit that will turn their son into a rapist. Even older men don't understand this (at least my dad doesn't. But he's hardcore catholic, so there you go)

As long as the material is straight, non-kinky stuff he'll be fine. Now if he starts looking at BSDM or fake rape videos, then you've got a problem...

The question was not: "Is it morally acceptable for my friend's kid to look at porn as long as it's not bondage or fake rape," the question was how to keep him from doing it.

 

[Marinski]

as long as its not some beastiality or gay porn(unless its lesbo) then its alright.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: thepd7
The question was not: "Is it morally acceptable for my friend's kid to look at porn as long as it's not bondage or fake rape," the question was how to keep him from doing it.

Ahh reason, but you should know by now that all parental control threads turn into a flame war over whether or not it is ok for parents to censor their children's internet access.

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: thepd7

Originally posted by: irishScott
The only reason your friend is going this far is because she's his mom. Most women (especially older women) don't understand why guys look at porn and think it's a sick disgusting habit that will turn their son into a rapist. Even older men don't understand this (at least my dad doesn't. But he's hardcore catholic, so there you go)

As long as the material is straight, non-kinky stuff he'll be fine. Now if he starts looking at BSDM or fake rape videos, then you've got a problem...

The question was not: "Is it morally acceptable for my friend's kid to look at porn as long as it's not bondage or fake rape," the question was how to keep him from doing it.

And the answer has appeared to be unanimous: You can't. You could make it more difficult, but he'll figure it out anyways if he's tech savvy.

That issue being resolved, we move onto the moral issue.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: irishScott
That issue being resolved, we move onto the moral issue.

No, once we find the ways to make it more difficult we let this thread die and start a thread in AT off topic (rather than tech support) about the moral issue.

 

[WackyDan]

I deal a lot with K-12 schools that have implemented a 1 to 1 laptop program, and one of the primary concerns is to help parents understand how to "parent" when it comes to the computer and other tech.

One of the most mentioned, and effective means is to move the computer into a public place like a living room. A software package would help, a limited account, and subscribing to a forced proxy would be another.

This isn't about what is moral or not. This is about a parent and their desire to raise their child as they see fit - their business entirely. If they wish to do the right thing and limit access, then kudos to them. I'm thinking that most of you who are advocating to do nothing don't have kids at all.

 

[oynaz]

The only way to efficiently block porn is to tell your kids not to go look at them. The technical solutions simply do not work properly, and are easily disabled anyway.

 

[Rottie]

no doubt about it there is no way to stop her son from porno sites. If her parents installed parental control her kid will find other way to get into porno sites - son can visit his friends with computer or at any Internet Cafes.

 

[kingtas]

Originally posted by: irishScott
I started looking at pr0n in 6th grade and I've turned out fine in every way.

LOL

 

[DamuRidaz]

porn is good stuff. But yeh how old is the kid.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Block it, and then punish him when he gets caught.

 

[rasczak]

Originally posted by: irishScott
How old is the kid, and what was the nature of what he was looking at? If he's 13+ and it's straight normal stuff (ie: none of that BSDM sh!t), what's the problem?

I started looking at pr0n in 6th grade and I've turned out fine in every way.

Either way though, you can't block everything. If he really wants to see some, even hardware firewalls can't recognize every keyword. My old High School blocked a lot of porn sites, but there were still people who just googled "porn" (I wasn't one of them, but it wasn't that hard to find), found a URL that wasn't on the block list and didn't flag any keywords, and looked at it. Not that hard.

Ironically, it's when my parents found me looking at pr0n when I was younger that I first started to learn "in-depth" about computers. Like hell I was going to stop looking at it. I jst found ways around what they were doing (so called "intelligent" software). No hacking required.

I understand where you're coming from, but she's born-again christian, and her son (8th grade) has done this before. As stated in the next few posts, i'll just suggest she limit his internet time and move the computer to her room. I kinda figured this would be a very difficult issue and we'll just stick with the easiest solution.

 

[wseyller]

You may not be able to block it, but you could monitor his actions and then punish him if he does it.

I once bought a program called Eblaster:

http://www.spectorsoft.com/products/eBlaster_Windows/index.html

This works almost too well, but it is $100

It will log urls, chat on both sides, incoming and outgoing email. It logs keystrokes. It will show what software was used. It show everything.

It is undetectable also. It does not show up in program list, it does not show up in task manager. I believe the only place you could find reference to it would be in the registery. Nor does it detect in antivirus or spyware.

To access it you use a combination of several hotkeys to bring up a password input box.

Also you can have reports sent to you my email. If the computer doesn't have an internet connection it will wait until it does have one before sending.

No one will know it is on there.

It is actually a very nasty thing to put on someones computer because they would never know and it would stay there forever unless they reformat.

 

[sieistganzfett]

into her room?? wow. that is extreme. i guess it was not in his bedroom in the first place, and was already in some other part of the house, but now its off to her room... I highly doubt he will ever use a computer for anything at that house again.. i heard of eblaster before, essentially if she wants to spy on her son KGB style and come down on him for things he feels are fine, then eblaster would be perfect for that.

 

[milehigh]

Newegg Link

I highly recommend this. I just installed one for a client and it does the job perfectly.

No subscriptions or fees if you use your own antivirus solution. If you want to use the bundled mcaffee stuff it costs you annually.

 

[rasczak]

Originally posted by: milehigh
Newegg Link

I highly recommend this. I just installed one for a client and it does the job perfectly.

No subscriptions or fees if you use your own antivirus solution. If you want to use the bundled mcaffee stuff it costs you annually.

What a great solution. Now the question is, what stops the user from unplugging it and connecting his computer directly to the cable modem?