Filtering Out Porn!!

[NickC]

Hello.

i'm new to this forum so if this question has been asked/answered before please

forgive me.

Mods, would you kindly direct me to links/info that can answer my question.

Currently as a FIOs customer I use TVO True Vine Online services to filter my internet connection.

They are unique in that they filter content through their servers before it gets into your home.

Although I consider this service valuable, I find it ludicrous to have to pay for it.

As my ISP what can Verizon do for me?  Browser based tools are ineffective.

I've heard that you can filter internet at the router level.  Is this effective?

I'm waiting for the day when porn purveyors can be on their own exclusive domain.

If you wan't their product you should have to go out of your way to get it.

Access to this material should not be a part of any ISP service in the US!!!

[Justin46]

I don't know anything about TVO and how it works, but I use OpenDNS for my DNS services and I know they offer a content filtering function, among many others. The basic OpenDNS use is free, I think the content filtering is also free but I am not sure, I have never used it. But I do recommend you at least take a look at OpenDNS, they have been very reliable for me for the last year or so, and they offer a number of features that Verizon's DNS services do not.

Link: http://www.opendns.com/

I have never tried to filter at the router level, I am not sure there is even a ability to do it. I have explored the router menus pretty thoroughly and I don't remember seeing anything, but then again I am getting old....

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416, IMG 1.6.2, Build 08.58
Keller, TX 76248

[NickC]

thank you Justin i will take a look at it.  I wonder if the content filtering is included in the free mode.

[kevinb]

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@NickC wrote:

As my ISP what can Verizon do for me?  Browser based tools are ineffective.

I've heard that you can filter internet at the router level.  Is this effective?

---

There are "Parental Controls" in the router settings that let you block specific web site addresses or keywords contained in the address. Not too effective since I doubt all porn sites will all contain the word "**bleep**" in their addresses.

[NickC]

thx.  you can do that in your browsers tools or in the windows firewall exceptions as well.

I don't want to know any of these addresses much less manually type them in.

There's something really wrong about this whole setup to begin with.

This wouldn't even be an issue if content like this existed in it's own realm.

It needs to be sectioned off. enough is enough.

[Justin46]

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@NickC wrote:
thank you Justin i will take a look at it.  I wonder if the content filtering is included in the free mode.

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I have a free account at OpenDNS and just checked, and yes, filtering is available as part of the free account. One thing you will need to do though is install the free tool they offer to keep the OpenDNS servers aware of any changes to your IP address.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416, IMG 1.6.2, Build 08.58
Keller, TX 76248

[Justin46]

---

@NickC wrote:

There's something really wrong about this whole setup to begin with.

This wouldn't even be an issue if content like this existed in it's own realm.

It needs to be sectioned off. enough is enough.

---

Well it isn't, and I am pretty sure it never will be. So unfortunately, wishing for it is not going to work, you need to take action yourself. You already have with your existing service, but it costs, right? OpenDNS is free, I don't think it can hurt to try it, and if you don't like it or it doesn't work for you, then you can always continue with what you have. 

And there may be other options out there, OpenDNS just happens to be one I am aware of. 

Good luck. 

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416, IMG 1.6.2, Build 08.58
Keller, TX 76248

[prisaz]

I had used MSN Browser for years on the kids machine. I have had an MSN Premium account since Verizon High Speed Internet(DSL). It has since dropped good support for parental controls. But Microsoft has Windows Live Family Safety, and I have been using it. Here is a link to the software if you would like to try it.

http://download.live.com/familysafety

[NickC]

I believe there was legislation in place to put adult conten on it's own domain.  I'm

not sure why it never materialized.

I'm not wishing for anything, i'm all about taking action, that's what this is all about.

Currently my filtering service is working on software specifically for the Mac.

My PC is covered.

I'll try the OpenDNS for my Mac.

Thanks for all your help.

[prisaz]

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@NickC wrote:

I believe there was legislation in place to put adult conten on it's own domain.  I'm

not sure why it never materialized.

I'm not wishing for anything, i'm all about taking action, that's what this is all about.

Currently my filtering service is working on software specifically for the Mac.

My PC is covered.

I'll try the OpenDNS for my Mac.

Thanks for all your help.

---

Oh I'm sorry, I'm a PC.

I'm all for a .porn root domain. Would be a good idea, but who would own it? And I am sure it would find its way onto search engines anyway. Unless it was made illegal to index .porn content. But next well be burning books. Welcome to the wild wild west.

Message Edited by prisaz on 07-16-2009 05:47 PM