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I asked this question a minute ago, but it posted in a weird format, so here it goes again. I have a laptop that I am running Ubuntu 10.04 on. My wife and I would like to setup some kind of content filtering software on it so that we can keep track of, and limit the kinds of websites our children can visit, etc. Currently I also have a Windows 7 pc running a program called Safe Eyes, which I have found to be wonderful software. Unfortunately, Safe Eyes is not available for Ubuntu. We both really like Ubuntu, but from what I have been able to discover, there isn't any real content filtering software out there for it. Does anyone know of something that will solve this problem. I am fairly new to Linux, but I have a knack for computers, so even if the software is a little bit difficult to configure, I'm game especially if it has decent documentation. |
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I have setup content fildering for my kids at the router by setting DNS for www.opendns.com. I have also used the router's URL blocking feature. However, someone pointed out to me that is your kids are smart enough to use the IP address of the sites they visit, then the router nor openDNS cannot filter them. I have not checked this. I am sure the same applies to the browser extension suggested by William - smart kids could disable the extension or use a separate portable browser as well unless there is password control and limitation on what they can run from within their account. |
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Ubuntu should have Internet filtering software in its repository. See if you can find a program called dansguardian. Here's the link to the site that produces it: http://dansguardian.org. |
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While there are some excellent solutions being created out there (Gnome Nanny does look promising), the reality is that the creation of LiveCDs has made it easier than ever to bypass almost all the standard filtering systems (pretty much anything on the desktop). Fortunately most kids won't be aware of this (but if they were, its not hard to use - CD in and restart the computer). I have guys asking me all the time for advice on how to install filtering software for their own personal integrity and purity, and I have to warn them that all these things are breakable, only to have them beg me not to tell them how. The best solutions must be implemented at the router or proxy level (e.g. an actual server-side dansguardian installation). |
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There are add-ons for this for firefox. One that I really like (but has no storing of occurences, I belive) is procon Latte. It blocks any website that has certain words on it, not loading it at all, as well as removal of swear words. The web-blocking list comes prestocked, but the swearing filter starts empty. By the way, you can find firefox addons at addons.mozilla.com. |
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If you set the DNS addresses in your router to OpenDNS you can set all kinds of filtes. The service is free and is foolproof. http://www.opendns.com will take you through the set up. Its quick, easy and totally free. |
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Gnome Nanny is a small (not yet stable) project that allows a nice content filtering and access control (time based). I haven't tried it yet, but it looks very good. It's based on DansGuardian, mentioned by Rex. |
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You can also setup the hosts file in the PC, however that can easily be modified. The key is to do it at the router level with some sort of content-management system (filtering process). I personally use pfSense (which is a FreeBSD-based router software you install on a PC with 2 NICs, one for WAN (Internet) and 1 for LAN (Local Area Network). Don't let the techie jargon scare you. It's not that hard to set up. It has a router, firwall, etc, setup in it. When it comes to a firewall or filtering process, it's not so much WHAT you use as it is HOW you use it (configure it) that makes all the difference in the World. You could also use Untangle or Smoothwall, both of these are fine and free firewall projects. |
