Cyber Patrol Update Promotes Safe Surfing

LOS ANGELES -- SurfControl has unveiled a browser-like interface and additional parental control options in the latest version of Cyber Patrol, a product designed to put parents in charge of their kids' Web browsing.

Known for its Web filtering tools for business and education, SurfControl unveiled Cyber Patrol 5.0 for Home here at Internet World. The vendor's message is that while the Web can be a great place for kids to learn and communicate with each another, much of what's out there just isn't appropriate for them.

Cyber Patrol 5.0 is now available for trial download from PCWorld.com's Downloads library and also from SurfControl. It costs $49.95 for a one-year subscription.

Access to Chat Restricted

Cyber Patrol 5.0 looks more like a typical browser window than earlier versions did, says Alix Erwin, a spokesperson for SurfControl. "The more Webified look makes it easier to set up and find the filtering features," Erwin says.

The browser interface also includes a new "try it" feature that lets you type in any URL you've blocked to test whether the filter works.

Another new feature, ChatGuard, prevents your child from divulging personal information online, Erwin says. That can protect both you and your child from things such as spam and credit card fraud.

The Web has become like TV for many kids, who spend more time on that activity than parents prefer. To control this, Cyber Patrol offers time settings. You can limit the times of day that your child's browsing is filtered. Or you can set time limits of when your child can access the Web at all, Erwin says.

For instance, you could permit filtered access from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., and no Web access after that time.

Guidelines for Each Child

At the heart of the filtering software are what SurfControl dubs CyberLists. There's a CyberNot list of inappropriate sites and a CyberYes list of recommended ones.

"We have a group of researchers made up of parents and teachers who search the Web for inappropriate sites and categorize them," Erwin says. "At the Cyber Central section of the application, parents can even report sites they find that should be added to either list."

Parents can create a separate profile for each child, up to ten profiles. For each profile, a parent can select specific categories of sites to block, filter, or allow access to. Each profile offers access controls and filters for Web sites, news groups, chat, and applications, she adds.

You can even select to simply block the entire CyberNot list or to allow access to only the CyberYes list, Erwin says. For instance, you might set a young child's profile to access only CyberYes sites. An older child may need only specific categories of CyberNot sites filtered or blocked, she adds.

Keeping on Top of the Web

Cyber Patrol relies on Web IP addresses to filter a site. Because IP addresses and URLs often change, SurfControl constantly updates its CyberLists of inappropriate and appropriate sites.

SurfControl also offers to send daily updates to the CyberLists, and it will completely refresh your list weekly, Erwin says.

Or, you can override the CyberLists and name specific sites you deem inappropriate for your child.

Cyber Patrol isn't the only Web filter designed for parents. For $39.95 Net Nanny offers similar filter software for parents and teachers, and it doesn't charge an annual fee for unlimited updates.

Even vendors of products aimed to kidproof the Web acknowledge that teaching your child good Web practices is the best way to protect them. But for times when you're not around, tools such as Cyber Patrol offer a safety net.

Filters Face Opposition

Still, not everyone thinks Web filter software is a good thing. The American Library Association (ALA) and free speech advocates such as Peacefire have been highly critical of Internet filters in schools and libraries, contending they are unconstitutional. In December, Peacefire released software that disables filters such as Cyber Patrol.

On January 18, the executive board of the ALA announced opposition to use of products such as Cyber Patrol in public libraries because "no filtering software successfully differentiates constitutionally protected speech from illegal speech on the Internet." The board stated, "Even the federal commission appointed to study child safety on the Internet concluded filters are not effective in blocking all content that some may find objectionable, but they do block much useful and constitutionally protected information."

The statement was part of an ALA announcement that it would file a lawsuit challenging the federal Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), which was signed into law on December 21. According to the ALA statement, "The law, which was attached to the Labor HHS Education Appropriations Bill, mandates libraries and schools install content filters on all computers that offer Internet access as a prerequisite to receiving federal grant funds. Funding sources include the e-rate program, the Library Services and Technology Act, and the Technology Title, Title III, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act."