Ask A Scientist© Computer Science Archive

Index Key:   COM008
Author:      tarri j levine
Subject:     Internet "locks".
Can we limit the resources on Internet that can come into a school?  For
example Newton, Best K-12, etc.  and not the other resources.  Cable TV has
an option to lock-out certain channels for the home user.  Can schools do
the same?

Response #:  1 of 1
Author:      asmith
"Anything is possible" with a computer. But that also means students can
often find ways around any locks you might try to put on. The best way to do
things is probably to enforce only a restricted interface to the outside
world - create a menu that only has the options "newton", etc.  The other
thing you can do (if you can find somebody to do it) is to put a filter on
the incoming data that looks for certain keywords (anything to do with sex
for example?) and either blocks it or notifies a teacher by e-mail or
something like that. I am not aware of any commercial services that do
this, but it sounds like a good idea so somebody probably is already selling
it - ask your local software store (first see if they have a clue about the
internet).