Comment Re:Unworkable (Score 1) 328
You don't even need to go that far. There are already programs that can do that. Building a midway appliance wouldn't help anything, because even a child can figure out how to plug/unplug stuff; getting around a program? Not quite as easy.
Let's look at the real problem here, though: the internet isn't like a book or magazine. If you give your child one of those, you can leaf through it first and parse for inappropriate content. (why you'd ever be handing a child a book that could possible contain inappropriate content is beyond me, but hey. It takes all kids.) And it isn't like a movie, where you can preview it first. There's new stuff on the internet, new ways to get to that stuff, and it's continually changing. What we do not need is for the ISPs, or a program, or a firewall appliance, to make sure that our children aren't going to inappropriate sites on the net. What we need is for parents to monitor their child's internet usage, by being present. There's no education involved. All you have to do is look at the screen and ask yourself, "Is my child looking at porn? y/n?"...if a parent can't even process that, I think at that point they're not fit for the job.
Of course I understand that this isn't always possible. Parents have to work longer jobs, more jobs, etc. these days, just to make ends meet, and so it can be hard to keep a constant eye on them, but that's a societal issue which isn't really the topic here. But if this ISP-side naughty-site block is any bit smart, they'll be sure to include something in their contract with customers that the service isn't a substitute for parental supervision...only in more legal jargon. And I'm sure they will. What they have to worry about more is that $10,000 fine for failing to block the material.
Let's look at the real problem here, though: the internet isn't like a book or magazine. If you give your child one of those, you can leaf through it first and parse for inappropriate content. (why you'd ever be handing a child a book that could possible contain inappropriate content is beyond me, but hey. It takes all kids.) And it isn't like a movie, where you can preview it first. There's new stuff on the internet, new ways to get to that stuff, and it's continually changing. What we do not need is for the ISPs, or a program, or a firewall appliance, to make sure that our children aren't going to inappropriate sites on the net. What we need is for parents to monitor their child's internet usage, by being present. There's no education involved. All you have to do is look at the screen and ask yourself, "Is my child looking at porn? y/n?"...if a parent can't even process that, I think at that point they're not fit for the job.
Of course I understand that this isn't always possible. Parents have to work longer jobs, more jobs, etc. these days, just to make ends meet, and so it can be hard to keep a constant eye on them, but that's a societal issue which isn't really the topic here. But if this ISP-side naughty-site block is any bit smart, they'll be sure to include something in their contract with customers that the service isn't a substitute for parental supervision...only in more legal jargon. And I'm sure they will. What they have to worry about more is that $10,000 fine for failing to block the material.
