If you own a business, you will probably eventually have to consider using an adult filter on your employees' computers. Although it may seem unnecessary to monitor web usage of adults, many company owners swear by adult content filters. Having a content blocker allows for more productivity and limits opportunities for procrastination by employees.

It is important that you get a handle on the adult content filter basics before purchasing one. Consider the options available to you:

1. Choose between content filtering software and free adult content filters on the Internet.

2. Decide which sites to block employees from using.

3. Make the decision of who to filter in your company.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider the difference between adult content filter software and freeware online

You will need to choose whether to purchase filtering software or to simply find it for free online. The decision often depends on what you need the content blocker to do. Free content blockers do not usually offer the same versatility as software for sale does.

I recommend: Purchase a content blocker from Cymphonix for the ability to prioritize the bandwidth of certain sites and completely block others. Free Download Manager carries the KDT Site Blocker. Download it for free and block an unlimited number of sites.

Decide which sites are to be blocked by the adult filter

Another important decision is determining what sites will be blocked. Think about what you consider inappropriate for the workplace. Do you wish to block certain forums or websites on which employees waste a lot of time, or do you want to keep some leniency and only block sites with offensive content?

I recommend: Download Untangle for free, and receive the ability to create lists of which websites are allowed and which should be blocked. You can filter the lists by category the content falls into, file extension, website address and more. FilterGate allows business owners to block certain websites while leaving others open.

Determine who needs adult content filtering in your company

Some adult filters block everyone from visiting inappropriate sites at work, while others allow you to choose who can go where. There are pros and cons to each type. Employees with certain job descriptions in your company may require access to questionable sites, so blocking them from such websites may not be a good idea. On the other hand, blocking only certain people from adult sites may cause employees to question your fairness. Ultimately, the decision is up to you, as business owners typically know what types of sites their employees need to use.

I recommend: Barracuda Web Filter enables you to provide adult content access to some employees and not others. St. Bernard offers similar benefits.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Even if employee use of sites with adult content does not appear to inhibit productivity, such sites often take up lots of bandwidth. An Internet content filter could save you bandwidth, speeding up the time it takes to surf the web.

On the surface, accessing adult content and other inappropriate material at work may just look like a few minutes of wasted employee time. In reality, employee web surfing leads to a loss of productivity and can even expose you to lawsuits if surfing leads to adult content sites. More than 75% of employees have visited pornographic and adult-themed sites while at work, though most of them won’t admit that it was anything more than an accident.

Even if employees know that your company has policies against viewing adult content at work, some are likely to violate the policies if they know you don’t have an adult filter in place. As you choose content blockers, you must keep both your needs and your employees’ needs in mind. Some things to consider as you compare adult content filtering options:

1. Decide why you need to an adult filter. If employee productivity is down because of extensive browsing, you’ll want content filtering software that blocks more than just adult content. If your main goal is to block adult content to reduce your liability and create a more professional environment, you have a wider range of options.
2. Determine whether all employees except those with administrative access need the same level of content blocking. If some employees do web-based research, you may want to lift restrictions for them to ensure that no research materials they need are blocked. If this is the case, be sure to get a filter that allows you to create different levels of access.
3. Choose a level of monitoring that’s comfortable for you and fits in with your corporate culture. Some web filters provide you with reports on employee computer use, including exact keystrokes. Before you implement a solution like this, make sure that it won’t damage employee morale.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose content-filtering software for a single network-wide solution

Adult content filter software is easy to install and easy to remove, making it a flexible option, generally. Most content filtering software works on all computers in your network. With administrative access, you can customize your own white lists and sites that should be blocked.

I recommend: Filtergate provides adult content blocking plus a pop up and ad banner filter. The company offers a tiered yearly subscription scale depending on the number of users that averages under $1 per month per user.

Use integrated hardware/software solutions for greater security

Integrated adult content filter solutions bypass the software's usual per-user fee, so you only pay one price regardless of how many users you have. However, most of these filters come in a variety of models to best target the number of users on your network, with lower user numbers meaning a lower price. Integrated solutions are generally more accurate than adult content filter software.

I recommend: St. Bernard offers the iPrism Internet filter appliance, which blocks sites before they enter your network. With the iPrism, though, all employees have the same access level. For a more flexible solution, the Barracuda Web Filter allows you to create custom policies for different user groups. Bloxx is another web content filtering option that allows customization and also provides reporting tools so you can view your employees’ habits. To protect your network, all three filters block harmful web content, including downloads, in addition to adult content.

Explore DNS services for free web filters

For a free web filter, consider using a DNS service with a built-in content blocker. These are cost-effective solutions, especially if you have a small business and just need to block content rather than monitor your employees.

I recommend: ScrubIT and OpenDNS are two free DNS services that are easy to implement and easy to remove or override when needed. Both services include adult content blocking as one of their features. OpenDNS allows a few more options than ScrubIT, such as customized domain blocking.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Let employees know when you implement a new adult content filter. It's helpful to present the filter in conjunction with a reminder of your web surfing policies. If you haven't yet developed clear policies on computer use, present those before you install the filter. Be ready for some initial bumps, regardless of the adult content filter you choose.
• •  Make sure you implement the filter when your IT staff isn't especially busy with other projects or updates.

If you are a business owner considering installing an adult filter on your company computers, you are not alone. Though it may seem odd or invasive to monitor the web usage of adults at work, many company owners swear by adult content filters. Whether they mean to or not, employees often visit inappropriate or offensive sites at work. In general, you will find that making use of a content blocker allows for more productivity by all employees, and knowing upfront the pricing and costs of adult content filter is helpful when it comes time to buy one.

If you have a budget to adhere to, you should get an idea of Internet content filter costs. If you have not already made up your mind, pricing may help you decide which type to buy. Consider the following options:

1. Pay upfront for adult content filter software for your computers.

2. Decide if you want to pay recurring costs for a filter.

3. Know the costs of installing hardware in your computer in an effort to filter content.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Know what to pay for adult content filtering software

If you would like to purchase a content blocker in the form of software, there are plenty of options to choose from. You should know what price to expect before shopping, however. Most content filtering software costs about $100, on average.

I recommend: Bsafe Online sells software that helps small businesses block objectionable content for $70. WebWatcher costs about $100 and lets you record and block the sites employees on every computer are checking out.

Expect to pay a monthly or yearly fee for some adult content filters

Some filters are free or cost very little upfront but charge a monthly or annual fee to use. Decide if you are prepared to pay each month or year to keep your computers free of adult content. Companies with a monthly fee usually charge just a few dollars per month per user and about $30 annually per user.

I recommend: FilterGate requires users to pay monthly or yearly, and the amount varies depending on how many computers get the program. One user costs $35 per year, while 500 is $1,800 per year. CyberPatrol charges about $40 per year for one user and $500 for 25 users.

Install content filtering hardware in your computer

If you would prefer to work with hardware when it comes to content blocking, you should know what you will likely pay before you buy it. Most hardware costs about $1,000, and the price can increase or decrease depending on how new or old your version is.

I recommend: Barracuda Networks' web filtering hardware costs anywhere from $1,500 to $8,000, depending on how updated and complex your version is. ComSifter costs about $700 to $1,000, depending on which version you buy. You can also add installation support by phone for $60 and up.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If your adult content filter is difficult to install and you do not have an IT employee on hand, you might have to pay a technology-savvy person to help you set it up. Be sure to keep this in mind when creating your content filter budget.

Having an adult content filter at your business can be beneficial in keeping employee productivity at its maximum, and you should be familiar with some of the key terms surrounding these filters to aid you in choosing theright type for your business. It's best to have a good amount of information and data on adult content filters if you run a business that has web browsing capabilities. Here are a few key terms to get you started on sounding like a professional when talking about adult content filters.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Adult content

Adult content is usually considered pornographic in nature, although certain amounts of violence can also be called adult content. Most businesses consider this inappropriate viewing material at the work place.

I recommend: Yahoo Search Marketing has an excellent definition and examples of adult content.

Adult filter

An adult filter is software that filters out adult words or themes on a computer search. It works with the browser so that these terms cannot be searched or accessed.

I recommend: Scroll down on the ArmCode page to see its explanation of uses of an adult filter.

Administrative access

Administrative access allows people with the authority to grant certain computer privileges. These people are able to filter out content that is not work-appropriate.

I recommend: The University of Florida explains exactly what administrative access is and how it is granted.

Single network-wide solution

A single network-wide solution means that all computers within that network are controlled the same way. This would come in handy to filter out all adult content across the board.

I recommend: GFI has an extensive page of information on network-wide solutions.

Reporting tools

Reporting tools are useful in letting the administrator of the network know what sites have been accessed by employees. Since there is no way of knowing every single site that may be inappropriate, this allows them to make a decision based on individual sites visited.

I recommend: 1 Key Data has the functions and capabilities of reporting tools.

DNS services

DNS is an abbreviation of Domain Name System. This is a system that configures domain names and makes them IP addresses. Domain names are easier to distinguish and memorize, but the Internet utilizes IP addresses instead. A DNS service makes every domain name into an IP address each time one is accessed.

I recommend: DNS Net presents the definition of DNS in easy-to-follow terms.