Making Search Engines More Kid-Sensitive And Kid-Safe

Search engines make things findable online. Google. Yahoo. MSN Live. Ask. And dozens of smaller, more specialized search engines designed for niche web users.

However, search engines are not very kids-sensitive or kids-safe. Without effective Internet filtering, kids can easily be exposed to content they shouldn't see.

There are custom search engines designed just for kids:


Yahooligans
StudyBuddy
KidsClick
Ask for Kids
Kids Search Tools

Schools use strict search engine content filters to keep kids safe online, such as these:

Awesome Library
Diddabdoo
Education World
SearchEdu.com
TekMom's Search Tools for Students
ThinkQuest Library

At home, though, parents often don't place tough Internet filter restrictions on the home computer. If they do use filters at all, parents may just rely on their web browser settings. These filters are not enough.

Parents need to be aware most major search engines get their listings by crawling the web, rather than through human review and categorization. This means its easy for possibly objectionable material to appear in search results...even with browser restrictions.

Automated filtering can not keep out all the potentially-naughty results from an innocent search, and sometimes overenthusiastic filters would filter out things that were actually innocent. Hand-built directories of resources suitable for kids are possible (including those listed above).

But they still have their problems.

One search engine tool designed for 8-to-13-year-old kids has been recently red-flagged for its problems allowing inappropriate content to be seen by kids: Zoo.com (run by InfoSpace.com). SearchEngineWatch.com reports "this search engine has a serious issue that needs to be addressed."

No search engine is perfect on its own. That's why using effective filtering software on your computer is essential when your kids use the home computer.

Safekeeper combines web crawling algorithms with smart human review and categorization, which constantly updates and indexes web content 24/7. Safekeeper delivers effective filtering protection customized for your family's needs, to help keep your kids safe online.