What Filters Are Right For Kids?

WaywardGeek writes "My daughter is using phrases like 'hot guys,' and soon will have a chat about the birds and the bees. I believe in letting kids discover the world as it is, and have no Internet controls on any of our systems, which are mostly Linux based. However, it's not fair for aggressive porn advertisers to splash sex in her face without her permission. My question is: What Linux-based Internet filtering solution do Slashdot dads favor, and do they hinder a child's efforts to learn about the world?"

Comments

Lazy

[kenp2002]

Troll me but this is another example of a lazy parent wanting someone else to do their job for them.

A: TURN THE COMPUTER OFF. Life moves along just fine without Facebook, Myspace, and Google. A computer is a TOOL not a life style.

B: As several have pointed out, keep the computer in the living room and check out what they are doing. If they are embarrassed by you looking over their shoulder just remind them that everything they do on the internet can be observed by millions. If you are embarrassed by mom or dad watching, you'd be insaine not to be embarrassed by millions seeing it.

C: Filter? Why? Get a porn pop up just close it... Ohhh scary images... Filters will do little when people are 1/2 naked walking around in malls during the summer.

D: Linux based filter? I suggest either M.O.R.A.L Code or the effective P.A.R.E.N.T Script. But using both together you can actually control your child AND their internet surfing habits. You see, when agressive scripts with objectionable content pop up with both M.O.R.A.L code and P.A.R.E.N.T scripts running you child can simple close the offending content or in circumstances where they are unable to the M.O.R.A.L and P.A.R.E.N.T tools actually allow your worthless waste of oxygen code named CHILD to actually peel themselves away from the stupid box long enough for P.A.R.E.N.T to clean up the situation provided the P.A.R.E.N.T script isn't too busy acting like an adult child buried in ESPN or an XBOX.

Here some advice, be a parent and quit delegating your responsibilities to EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE ELSE BESIDES YOURSELF. IF YOU CANNOT KEEP TABS ON YOUR CHILD AT ALL TIMES STOP POPPING THEM OUT LIKE FUCKING PEZ CANDY.

-- Version 1 --
Face it there are always be assholes in the world, learning to tolerate them is part of life. You don't have to like assholes but you do need to learn how to deal with assholes when they pop up.

-- Version 2 --
Face it there are always be p0rn popups in the world, learning to tolerate them is part of life. You don't have to like p0rn popups but you do need to learn how to deal with p0rn popups when they pop up.

-- Version 3 --
Face it there are always be objectional content in the world, learning to tolerate them is part of life. You don't have to like objectional content but you do need to learn how to deal with objectional content when they pop up.

If the OPs goal is to let the kid explore, let the kid learn how to deal with objectional content.

Morals + Good Parenting = Self Policing Kids that Listen to their Parent.

Re:Use OpenDNS and a hosts file

[daveime]

First, the parent post implied that bad things happen in the world so you might as well let them happen in your house. He started off implying picking your nose was bad.

Second, picking your nose has the same to do with addiction that alcohol does. Many people don't get addicted while many people do. Marriages get wrecked because a husband loses interest in his wife since she doesn't look like a nose picking star. That's not just about "pictures of noses."

If you were married (and you may be) and your wife asked you to stop picking your nose, would you do it even if you thought her request was unreasonable? There are a lot of men out there who would keep picking therr noses at the cost of their marriage. That's a textbook example of addiction.

This all relates to kids because many such addictions are developed during teenage years when kids are still learning self-control skills. Is it really unreasonable of me to try and help my kids develop these skills before they get exposed to this stuff?

Seriously though, with that kind of bias, you must be a Mormon, or at least one of the "born again" lot.

I could start throwing out (semi-plausible) arguments about how porn might prevent an awful lot of rapes from happening, by alleviating the sexual frustrations of lonely, single, desparate people. Or how many marriages might be SAVED due to porn spicing up an otherwise dull and lifeless relationship. Twelve years of Missionary sure is boring ...

Really, you have a world view about as complex as that of a concussed duckling, and it's probably better that you poke your own eyes out now, lest you see a naked ankle and have a coronary.

I pity your kids, because the only thing they need protecting from are your 17th century views of "this stuff".