High Speed Internet Providers & Online Tools

For the sake of this article I will only focus on configuring your browser with Internet Explorer to prevent unwanted sites while using your high speed internet ISP like Verizon Internet Service. All browsers have security settings, but most of us don’t necessarily know where to look. While Qwest DSL or your local ISP may have parental controls it only covers one base and you need to cover home plate. So if you are hoping to go beyond what your local high speed internet providers are doing for you, here are some great tips for configuring your security settings to lessen the chance of unwanted information reaching your children. To start, open your browser and click on tools, then select “Internet Options.”

1. Configuring the Security Tab – You will want to adjust the security level for each zone.
   • Internet Zone: Adjust to at minimum “Medium-High.” I would recommend setting it on the highest level and if it affects browsing too much, you can bring it back down a notch.
   • Restricted Sites: If you know you child is interested in viewing certain sites that you want banned, you can enter the url in this section and the browser will not be able to take them to the site.
2. On the Privacy Tab – You should select at minimum Medium High. Again if you want to err in the side of caution, you should go with the max. In the same section, be sure to choose “Turn on Pop-up Blocker.” Many unwanted information can appear without a person soliciting for that information. Most often than not, it is used by sites promoting material your child should not be seeing.
3. Content Tab – Enable Content Advisor. You will be able to select what users are allowed to see in certain categories. Now understand that sites have ways around these things, so this is always a good first step, but not the final solution. Be sure to make adjustments to all the categories to your liking. Be sure to look through all the tabs to make adjustments at all levels. You can restrict viewing sites that have no rating and even have a password protection setting for allowing to view restricted content. This way you are not blocked in the event there is a news article related to something that may have been blocked for whatever reason.

We’ll that should get you through the basics and at minimum give you a good head start for configuring your browser. You will also want to make sure there is not another browser installed because each has its own settings. So if your child loads the Mozilla Firefox browser for example, and you don’t know about it, this whole process becomes a waste. So be sure to also put restrictions on what can and cannot be added by a specific user.