With the internet becoming the new normal, the present day’s kids are found playing over the digital devices rather than outdoor fields. From chatting to gaming, the internet world encompasses all. But don’t you think there’s a need to monitor those activities or let’s say, block irrelevant content?
This is where web filtering or parental control app pops in. Installing software that blocks unwanted content over the web, you can safeguard your kids browsing activities. In fact, there are dozens of software that facilitate the above.
What Are the Best Internet Content Filter Software?
Outline your requirements, compare and find the one that meets your needs well. We have talked about the best 5 solutions for internet filtering in the next section.
But before getting into details, get the crux:
- mSpy: An all in one internet access control software, mSpy has the potential to keep track of all irrelevant sites and content, blocking them in a single instant.
- KidsGuard: One of the best content filter software for Android, KidsGuard, is designed to monitor every activity, tracking location, and keeping tabs on different apps used.
- Bark Parental: An efficient tool to keep your kids safe in the digital age, Bark Parental channelizes only the legit and trustworthy content to the device.
- Net Nanny: Providing total visibility over every activity, net Nanny is one of the most popular internet access filtering tools. Embedding AI for detection and content blocking, it catalogs every website rendering the best results.
- Qustodio: Protect your kids from online bullying, block spammy and unwanted content with Qustodio. It has a powerful content filtering technology that facilitates automated website blocker solutions for inefficient and unsafe content.
- Famisafe: You can protect your kids from inappropriate content with this powerful tool by blocking websites, apps, setting screen-time limits, and much more. It’s available on the Play Store and App Store.
- Kaspersky: USe the features of this powerful web filtering tool to block apps, websites, set age-appropriate restrictions, and monitor their geo-locations on Android, iOS and desktop computers.
How Do Internet Filters Work?
Content filters, or internet filters, are software that scans the items present over the web and block the ones that aren’t safe when opened or viewed. It could be a standalone site, messages, or any executable. The software is predesigned to detect such vulnerabilities and obstruct them on the go.
Internet filtering software or parental control app is primarily a security block. What they do is look for strings or a series of characters. Whenever a page/site/executable matches the preferred line, the same is blocked. With the right content-blocking software in place, you can set up situations that either block all of the phishing URLs or have a customized feature where part of the content is blocked.
Every time a user requests access to the blocked URL, the software searches for the policy defined and depending upon the permission, the content is fed to the user every day.
Types of Internet Filters
Talking about the mechanism, there are three different ways to filter content and block them.
Keyword Blocking
Suppose that you have a list of keywords or if you want to block websites/messages that are bound to have certain unwanted words, select the internet filters software that uses the technique of keyword blocking for web filtering.
Here, the software has a list of keywords already stored within. Whenever a user requests a page, the software looks for those keywords and then either hide them or blocks the page as a whole.
Site Blocking
Similar to keyword blocking, the website blocker is one that has a list of URLs embedded for internet protection.
The internet filters software maps the URL with the database and then blocks the ones that are prohibited. If required, you can edit the list for web filtering and add custom URLs within it to modify the same as per your needs.
Web Rating Systems
Indeed, a new internet protection feature where websites are ranked based in terms of their content and then the filtering software is tailored to allow only those sites that have the rating above a certain threshold.
Top 7 Internet Filter Apps for Families
mSpy – Best Internet Filter for iPhone and Android
mSpy is the best parent monitoring app for iPhone and Android. Of course, this app can do much more than that.
Once you set up parental controls on Android or iPhone, you can block porn, read text messages without installing an app, and monitor social media and chat apps. It is one of the only parental control software that can read Snapchat, see all DMs on Instagram, and WhatsApp. It is essential, especially if you consider that these apps are often used for sexting and pornography, but also frequented by online predators and bullies.
This app is also considered to be the best internet filter for iOS since it has a no-jailbreak version.
Here are the other things you can benefit from:
- Browse the history to know what you kid has been viewing over the web;
- Auto-detect irrelevant sites and block them on the go;
- Track location and send alerts;
- Manually block sites that pose a threat or have harmful content;
- Keep track of everything types using the built-in keylogger.
- Social media monitoring on both Android and iOS
KidsGuard – Web Filtering Tool for Android and iOS
KidsGuard is an excellent hidden parental control app and web filtering tool to understand what your child is doing online on search engines. This one of the best parental monitoring solutions can be crucial for their mental health and physical safety.
This app helps you set limits to their online activity and help you understand which online resources, websites, games, and apps they are using. It will help your children control the technology they use, rather than being controlled by it.
With KidsGuard, you can use one account for the entire family, allowing you to filter multiple devices. It can monitor across platforms, so it does not matter whether you use an Android or iPhone. It will send alerts to your phone. That way, you can respond instantly in case of an emergency.
Additionally, since children also spend a lot of time with online gaming, you can track how long these use these apps for and speak to them about limiting their screen times.
KidsGuard does not require a jailbreak for iPhone or a root for Android. That makes it very easy to use and install.
- Monitor phone usage and access browsing history;
- Track and block access to apps;
- Limit screen time;
- Get website alerts and see bookmarks.
- Social media monitoring for better insights into your child’s activities
Bark Parental Control – Free Internet Filter for Android
Bark parental control is a parental control app for Android devices. This internet filter will help you manage the time spent on various devices, as well as which apps your child can use or download.
It will protect them from unsuitable apps as well. Their Web Guard and Safe Search features will also help you filter web content, protecting them from pornography, gambling, and more.
You can also locate your child using the Child Locator and receive alerts on their location with the Geofencing feature.
Bark parental control solution comes in two versions, a Freemium version and a Premium version.
The Free version lets you:
- See what your child is doing online with Web Guard Monitoring;
- Block specific apps with the Application Guard;
- Set Time Limits to fun and games apps;
- Set Budget Limits to app spending;
- Receive Basic Activity Reports.
With the Premium version you can:
- Filter inappropriate content;
- Enable Safe Search;
- Use the Child Locator;
- Receive location alerts with Geofencing;
- Get full Activity Reports.
Net Nanny – Internet Content Filter for iPhone, PC, and Android
Net Nanny is an internet content filter for implying parental control that will help you monitor your family’s online habits, protecting them from harmful or inappropriate content.
You can use it to manage and limit screen time on any app. That way, you can choose when and how long your children can be online.
Net Nanny also offers internet filtering content-wise, which will keep your family from accessing harmful or adult content in real-time.
Net Nanny has a Family Feed, which reports online searches instantly, lets you see which apps your kids are using, and sends alerts if they access pornography/suicide/weapon or drug-related content. It can monitor up to five Windows, Android, iOS, and Kindle Fire devices in one package.
- Block pornography and harmful content with the Internet filter;
- Manage screen time and set limits;
- Block unwanted apps;
- Net Nanny also blocks websites.
Qustodio – Cheap Internet Filter
Qustodio is an excellent internet filter and monitoring app.
It will help protect your children from various online threats, such as adult sites, cyber bullies, online predators, and screen addiction. With its handy online dashboard, you can see how your child uses the device or operating systems, which apps he or she uses, and which websites he or she visits through internet service providers.
The software will also help you set healthy limits to screen time, ensuring they do not become addicted. That includes time spent on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and more. The app contains powerful content filtering technology, which will automatically protect from harmful content.
This real-time internet filter will work even in Incognito mode. It will also let you read texts, see call logs and block contacts, but only if you have an Android device. Finally, it will allow your child to contact you instantly with the Panic Button.
Qustodio is available for Windows, Mac OS X, Android, iOS, and Kindle.
- Block pornography and other unwanted content;
- View time spent on social media;
- Monitor or block games and apps;
- Balance screen time;
- Respond to emergencies with the Panic Button.
Famisafe: Family Internet Filter
Famisafe is among the newer internet filtering applications. However, it has soon become a very popular and reliable option. It’s available n the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, and it comes with a 3-day free trial.
With the app, you can filter all web content on your kid’s devices. You can easily block websites to prevent access to inappropriate content. Further, it also gives you access to all deleted websites from the browser history on Android devices, making it an added bonus.
For parents who are unsure about which websites to block, they can also use the in-build categories and use those to block certain types of websites. However, if there are certain websites that aren’t present in these preset lists, you can also add their URLs separately to block them.
Here are some of the key features of Famisafe –
- Web filtering;
- Access to deleted websites on Android devices;
- Location tracking and geofencing;
- App blocking;
- Screen time controls;
- Notification alerts if blacklisted sites are accessed in some way.
Kaspersky: Internet Content Filter
Last on this list, but certainly another great option is Kaspersky. Kaspersky is another internet filter application that is widely compatible. You can use it on Android and iOS mobile devices, and also on desktop computers.
The main function of this app is website monitoring. It distinguishes between 14 different categories of web content to help you figure out what kind of content might be inappropriate for your kids. These filters are applied depending on your child’s age.
Further, if your child visits a website that might be somehow related to the inappropriate categories, the app will give parents a warning, and also notify them if the website visited at the end was appropriate after all.
Some of the key features of Kaspersky SafeKids include –
- Website filtering
- App blocking
- Screen-time limits
- Geo-location
Do internet filters really work?
Yes, internet filters at home and school can help keep children away from inappropriate content. However, it’s not a comprehensive solution, as children always interact with different people who might introduce them to content they shouldn’t be consuming.
Which is the best internet filter?
The best internet filter for families is mSpy. It’s compatible with Android and iOS devices and offers various filtering features such as a log of all the websites visited, app blocking, website blocking, location tracking, and geofencing, and much more.
