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Safe Searching of the Internet for children
Search Engine Watch provides tips and information about searching the web, along with a comprehensive listing of search engines for children. It lists services which are designed primarily to serve the needs of children, either in focus, or by filtering out sites that some teachers and parents might find inappropriate.
Here are a few examples of child-friendly search tools. - Ask Jeeves for Kids
Designed to be a fun destination site focused on learning and 'edutainment', which searches using natural language. The service combines editorial judgment with filtering technology to enable children to find both relevant and appropriate answers on the Web - Family friendly search
Searches Yahooligans, AOL Kids, Kids Click and Saluki Search from a single search screen.
- Mirago Zone
Uses content filters to provide a special 'family friendly' area where search results are filtered for offensive content. It also provides a 'preference' facility for the user to set their own filtering requirements.
- Yahooligans
A version of Yahoo, designed specifically for children aged 7 to 12.
- Customising web browsers
- Searching for images on the internet
- Safe and copyright free images
Most web browsers provide some customization facilities to allow security, privacy and content settings to be adjusted. The ICT Advice site provides information on how to do this. The help pages on Google have some information on customizing Google for safe searching and you can ensure that the 'Strict filtering' option is selected on Preferences.
*Care must be taken when searching for images on the internet. *
Many search engines will provide filtering facilities to remove unsuitable sites and advertising from search results. However many of these do not filter out unsuitable images from the 'mini picture' view which is seen first as a result of the search. This applies to searching for images using Google image search. This can result in unsuitable material being visible on the screen. It is recommended that you do not allow children to freely search for images using Google image search, unless this has been researched beforehand to check the content of the search.
You may find it safer to direct students to sources of copyright free images, and a list of these is provided on Kirklees-ednet.
For more information on Safe image searching visit :
http://www.wirral-mbc.gov.uk/search/search.asp