Protecting Students from Undesirable Material on the Web

Educators and parents alike agree that adult supervision of students' Web site selections, both at home and at school (a form of censorship), is very important. See the Web site "Web Awareness: Tracking Where Kids Have Been on the Internet" (at http://media-awareness.ca/eng/webaware/tipsheets/techtips.htm) for easy ways to access Web sites visited by kids.

WebWhacker, a commercial program, is useful for educators and parents who wish to safeguard their children by creating approved directories (preselected and screened) of Web sites for browsing (see http://www.bluesquirrel.com.products/whacker/whacker.html). This program permits 100 percent control over Web content viewed by children. Using WebWhacker, teachers can create a menu of preselected Web sites for student use and feel secure that students are not exposed to inappropriate material.

Another excellent tool for teachers is the EduHound HotList, which permits teachers (and parents) to create their own Web page of educational resources composed of educational links, questions, directions, explanations, and assignments. HotLists are passwords protected to ensure privacy and security, and a teacher can develop, free of charge, as many HotLists as he or she wishes (see http://www.eduhound.com/hotlist/default.cfm).

In addition to monitoring student Web site selection and having students sign contracts regarding appropriate Internet behavior, teachers need to teach students about responsible online behavior and safety issues. An excellent Web site for this is "Web Awareness for Teachers: Safe Passage," at http://www.media-awareness.ca/eng/webaware/teachers/safe/tsafe.htm. This site alerts teachers and students to safety issues associated with Web sites, chat rooms, newsgroups, instant messaging, and e-mail. It includes information on the benefits and risks of these activities and offers practical advice on how teachers can ensure that their students' experiences are safe and rewarding. The site includes a button for parents with much the same information.

Using the approaches suggested above, teachers and parents can be assured that their children spend productive learning time on the Internet, are not exposed to inappropriate and undesirable material, and are safe from those who would prey on children.



In 2001, the Children's Internet Protection Act required schools receiving certain federal funds to implement technology protection measures for their students, such as blocking and filtering software. You can learn more about efforts to protect children who use the Internet at the following sites:

Filtering Info
This web site provides updates on legislation, such as the Children's Internet Protection Act, and on filtering software and other ways to block students' access to parts of the Internet.

Internet Do's and Don'ts
This web site from the U.S. Department of Justice is designed to help children learn to use the Internet safely.

Internet Safety Tutorial
This tutorial is designed for parents, but many of the principles are applicable in the classroom, too.