porn blocking software

[destillat]

NOT for me!
A workmate approached me today asking if I had any suggestions to help stop her 15 year old son from surfing porn almost non-stop.
Since I am single with no kids, I have no reason to even consider filtering porn.
Details:
-she works evenings
-husband is clueless
-she's a little over-protective (but it's her son, that's her right)
-12 year old daughter also uses the same computer
-computer is already in a public place (kitchen)
-boy is a very clever kid
Does anyone have any real-life suggestions for web filtering software that works well?
I already told her that nothing is perfect, especially since he is a very smart boy (she didn't like that comment, but it's reality).
I'm gonna do some Googling this weekend, but I'd appreciate first-hand experience with specific software if anyone is familiar.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Cassini]

Set the power on and administrative BIOS passwords, and the screen saver password.

Safest PC is the off PC.

If you are up against a smart kid, what do you do if the kid logs in with Linux on a USB key?

 

[destillat]

She'd love to just get rid of the PC, but that's not an option. Apparently homework nowadays requires internet access.
Doing some initial searching indicates that Net Nanny seems to be the best.
Does anyone have any experience (positive and/or negative) using Net Nanny?

 

[Cobster]

Just did a quick search, here are a few...

http://www1.k9webprotection.com/get-k9-web-protection-free

http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/k9webprotection.com

http://www.netdogsoft.com/ <-probably one of the better ones I came across

What operating system doe she have on her computer?

 

[destillat]

What operating system doe she have on her computer?

She's very computer illiterate. She's pretty sure it's 'Windows'!

 

[Cruzer22]

This one is good and its free:

http://www.opendns.com/start/

 

[alexmst]

If she is computer illiterate, and the kid is clever and computer literate, he will find a way...

When I was a kid they didn't have Personal computers or the internet. My friends used to content themselves with back issues of Playboy that their dads used to have stashed in their garages lol.

 

[Cobster]

She's very computer illiterate. She's pretty sure it's 'Windows'!

Errrr, AHHH, Ummm, what version of Windows, 95, 98, ME, XP, Vista, Win7?

 

[Smash]

Just think how funny it would be if the son is a member of Terb with like 500 posts.lol

 

[Cassini]

If she is computer illiterate, and the kid is clever and computer literate, he will find a way...

That is where the advice to lock down the computer with passwords came from. He can't crack what he can't access.

I agree with the opendns recommendation. It is not a complete solution, however it cannot be easily bypassed either.

Look for solutions that force the kid to use the computer at the time of the parent's choosing, not his. If you simply install NetNanny, against a 15 year old with unlimited time, then it will not be effective. It is much more effective against a person if their computer use is somewhat supervised. As such, you want to force the computer use to be supervised first, and then secondly restrict the sites visited.

Also, if the son truly cannot stop looking at porn, be prepared for underlying issues to surface. Something deeper may be occurring. Blocking an escape will not solve an underlying psychological problem. For instance, if the porn habit is covering depression, or an inability to form real-life attachments, then professional help may be needed. Similarly, if the son is unable to exercise sufficient intelligence and self-control to not get caught browsing porn, then that is a bad sign too.

It is a tough call in this case. Teens tend to be difficult to parent. They deliberately annoy the parents. Additionally, a male teen looking at porn is typical.

 

[TDL2003]

Put the computer in a locked cabinet. Then it is only available when the parent's are around.

 

[Stoo]

That is where the advice to lock down the computer with passwords came from. He can't crack what he can't access.

That's really the only solution. None of the "filtering" software apps are foolproof. Set the bios password and tell her to use some random string of characters, not the dog's name...

If her concern is that his interest in porn is "abnormal" she should probably accept that he will simply find another way... a computer at a friends house, his cell phone. These days, he can probably buy a used laptop for $150 someplace and keep it under his mattress where a 15 year old is supposed to keep their porn.

Speaking of old Playboys, when I was about 13, me and my gang of buddies stumbled across a Motherload of old Playboys and "Naturist" magazines hidden away in an abandoned old shack in a ravine where we hung out. We scooped the load of them up to our treefort and spent many happy hours with them. One by one they disappeared to the guys houses though... for a little more private time.

 

[Cassini]

If her concern is that his interest in porn is "abnormal" she should probably accept that he will simply find another way... a computer at a friends house, his cell phone. These days, he can probably buy a used laptop for $150 someplace and keep it under his mattress where a 15 year old is supposed to keep their porn.

This is what confuses me. Why is the teen unable to conceal his porn habbit?