Parental controls

Firefox and the Mozilla Suite do not feature built-in parental controls/content filtering/pornography blocking/website blocking features.

You can block access to specific websites from any program by using a hosts file: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosts_file

The BlockXXX Extension for Firefox provides a content blocking mechanism. It is suitable for blocking accidental visits to objectionable sites. It is not suitable for non-accidental visits because

• The filter is blunt, leaving many objectionable sites accessible and blocking access to non-objectionable sites
• It is very easily disabled
• It only affects Firefox/Seamonkey and not other applications like MSN Messenger or Internet Explorer.

Apparently the Block XXX extension is not working with Firefox 1.5, but the Procon extensions does the same thing. "ProCon is a content filter for the Firefox browser, based on BlockXXX (by Tom Christensen). ProCon filters any type of web pages, but if left on default it limits itself to filter pages containing explicit content automatically, based on the text. ProCon can also censure any single word, and create a WhiteList."

While no software can completely block all objectionable contact, third-party software exists that can provide a very high filter level. Some examples:

• Internet Content Rating Association
• Net Nanny
• CyberPatrol
• Cybersitter
• DansGuardian

Also, some ISPs provide free parental control mechanisms. Contact your ISP for more information.

For a detailed Howto please see the Mozillazine Firefox Forum threads at:

• How to block content, parental controls, Surf anonymously
• No Block Sites Option? Why not?