Smartphone Filters

Child with laptop and phone under the bed. Boy playing computer

Cell Phone Filtering Options

What can you do for your smart phone?

Android ANDROID cell phone users have several different options.
1. Norton Online Family
2. K9
3. Cloud ACL
4. Net Nanny

Norton Online Family allows the user to use the standard Android browser, allows the administrator of the filter make changes from any Internet connection, and has the ability to instantly notify via email when an attempt was made for a blocked site.

K9 filter only works within the k9 browser; there is no customization and no notification. The advantage of the k9 filter is that there is easy installation and there is no setup/ customization time.

Cloud ACL allows the user to use the standard Android browser, and all setup of the filter (choosing which categories and sites to allow or block) is done over the phone, by setting up a password. The disadvantage to this filter is that the administrator must make any changes on the actual phone.

Net Nanny, the only Android filter on the list with a cost ($20/year) provides the following perks: it allows the administrator to make changes (regarding the web browser and which apps can be accessed) from any Internet connection, the settings are adjustable, and it has the ability to instantly notify via email when an attempt was made for a blocked site. (There is a free 14 day trial available.)

iPOD iPhone users have two main options:
1. k9
2. Mobicip
K9 filter only works within the k9 browser, and there is no customization and no notification. The advantage of the k9 filter is the easy installation and there is no setup/ customization time.

Mobicip has two options: $5 initial fee or $5 initial plus $10/year. The additional fee allows you to choose which categories you want to block (from any Internet connection) and view/ receive activity reports.
(We recommend the $5 initial plus $10/year Mobicip plan for iPad users.)

blackberryBLACKBERRY, unfortunately does not have many options.
1. Jnet
2. GYE app

Jnet filters the Internet on the blackberry. The problem is that you need to be using an Enterprise server, which can cost an additional $20/month, before the $5.99 monthly Jnet filter.

GYE app can block the browser, app world, Facebook and Twitter apps. Once blocked, you need to call Guard Your Eyes (or Avenue M Computers) to get a password to access any of the blocked programs.

old cell phoneREGULAR CELL PHONES do not have the ability to install filtering programs on them. For most cell phones, if there is a yearly contract, you can contact the carrier regarding parental controls.

What else is recommended?

Protecting the filter is very important.
There are two things which need to be protected:
(A) ensuing the filter does not get uninstalled
(B) disabling the ability to download another browser (or other unwanted programs)

secure android To protect an Android, download an app protector program to protect the filter, as well as blocking the ability to download another browser by blocking the Google Play.
secure iphone To protect the iPhone, go into settings – restrictions, set up a password and restrict the Safari, YouTube and ability to install apps.

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