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The use of web filters runs counter to 21st century learning. Great editorial from THE JOURNAL (Jun 08) on putting the filter in student heads by teaching them responsibility rather than locking them out of sites with filters.

New book on the state of internet filtering worldwide

Web proxies are almost as old as the Internet itself as a means to route Web traffic through an anonymous domain name or circumvent content-filters, and they've long been the territory of corporate networks and the tech savvy seeking privacy. Nowadays, an increasing number of teenagers are setting up proxies on home PCs to sidestep school filtering traps, in addition to using free proxies set up on the Web, according to technologists at schools and at content-filtering technology providers.

Poem about web filters in education

"Internet filters in schools often compromise a teacher's ability to teach, yet at the same time are easy for tech-savvy students to get around, a parliamentary committee on cyberbullying has heard. The Federal Parliament undertook a cyber-safety committee late last week to investigate community concerns about protecting children from bullying online and the measures that could be used to prevent it, such as Internet filtering."

When schools first established on-ramps for the information superhighway, the common wisdom was that "filters would protect children as they use the Internet." I never bought into that myth. My position has always been that the best filtering software sits under the hardware that rides on top of the shoulders.

The use of filtering or blocking software to prevent teens from accessing social networking Web sites is another approach that schools and parents can utilize. The disadvantage with blocking software is that teens eventually find a way to circumvent the blocking software. "Given the propensity for youth to constantly update language by the use of new words and phrases and alterations to the meaning of existing words and phrases, it would appear a difficult task to keep filtering software fully updated."

Flash video tutorials from GetNetWise on family internet safety topics like turning on filtering, making social networks more private, using WiFi, monitoring cookie files, hiding browser history information, spyware and spam filtering.

From Andy Carvin's PBS Blog. Many advocates of filtering policies insist than an educator may ask to have a site unblocked when it needs to be used in the classroom. But very few teachers have the ability to either get this done promptly by the filter's administrators, or the authority to do it themselves.

Community 'moderated' DNS level web filter applied to broadband router sure keeps pc-offspring-'hackers' well filtered (until they discover reset button on router -- mmm perhaps keeping broadband provider instructions for router somewhere safe would be a good idea).

A computer admin at the school I attended bought a new proxy server to stop our file sharing. It was supposed to block "bad" Web sites in addition to filtering out some of the ports that P2P programs use. Trouble was, all we had to do was use a service such as Proxify to get around it.

Very interesting post by Dan Shareski on the connections between parents, school districts, students and the internet.

podcast outlining a parent's fears about non filtering of Facebook at school

By mandating schools restrict internet access, CIPA and other federal and state legislation intend to guard students' safety online-but all they may be doing is keeping vital educational technology out of the classroom. No one disputes the need to protect kids from the harm that lurks online. What's at issue is whether or not mandated internet filters are the best way to achieve those safeguards-or whether the filters aren't up to the task and are actually interfering with the educational mission by obstructing use of important Web 2.0 tools.

An effective school-based strategy to address the issue of online safety should include these six key components:
EDUCATIONAL USE - Schools must ensure that when students use the Internet, their activities have an educational purpose -- class assignments, extra credit work, and perhaps some high quality enrichment activities as a reward
SUPERVISION AND MONITORING Schools must shift focus from reliance on filtering to better supervision and monitoring.
MEANINGFUL CONSEQUENCES Misuse of the Internet must lead to a meaningful consequence -- but it should be recognized that suspension of Internet access privileges just causes more work for teachers. Requiring a service contribution to the school and establishing "close monitoring status" for all Internet use are preferable consequences.
ACCIDENTAL ACCESS TO PORN - All students and staff must know that if inappropriate material appears, they should quickly turn off the monitor or turn it so it can't be seen, and then report it. Following any incident or discovery, there must be a responsible assessment of culpability.
INAPPROPRIATE BLOCKING Selected staff in every school building must have the authority and ability to quickly override the filter to provide other staff or students access to sites that have been inappropriately blocked
INTERNET SAFETY AND RESPONSIBLE USE EDUCATION Schools must provide effective Web 2.0 Internet safety and responsible use education to students and parents.

Discussion between parents and children is the best way to create trust. But computer use especially by new users can not be expected to be "private" from their parents. Filtering has its place, but should be used to generate trust and not access blame or perjorative measures. Students will always find a way to circumvent filtering and internet restriction. What are you're opinions? Has anyone used PC Pandora 6? Ray http://www.google.com/profiles/Raymond.WM.Lai#buzz

How To Get Around Blocked Web Sites at School or Work: A Newbie Guide.. Site provides information on how to get around blocked filters at school.

What Can Parents Do? Schools should start addressing students, parents and staff about the issues of cyberbullying. Students need to be reminded that what they do in cyberspace is not really anonymous. They need to know their behaviors and words are downloadable, printable and sometimes punishable by law. The courts have given some direction for schools dealing with cyberbullying. "School districts are well within their legal rights to intervene in cyberbullying incidents - even if these incidents were initiated off-campus - if it can be demonstrated that the incident resulted in a substantial disruption of the educational environment"

Think.com's safety lesson with nets standards. Think.com is excellent to use with younger students and is very walled and has an excellent profanity filter. I highly recommend it and have personally used it for a summer blogging project. Excellent site. It also requires an extensive verification process by the participating schools.

Excellent lesson plan and activities from think.com for teaching digital citizenship, particularly safety and netiquette.

The company will provide content blockers that allow parents to prevent their children from accessing certain content, application filters to keep children from using software and will empower parents with time limiting tools to control time spent on various Internet activities.