I’ve recently found a way to configure Internet Explorer as a whitelist filter.
This will basically block all websites from being accessed except for the sites in the whitelist. If you don’t want to buy or install extra software to set up a whitelist, then follow my steps below.
But please note that a clever computer user could just install another web browser and circumvent the filtering in Internet Explorer.
Step 1 – Enable Content Advisor
In Internet Explorer, browse to Tools -> Internet Options. Go to the Content tab and click the Enable button under Content Advisor.
Step 1 - Enable Content Advisor
Step 2 – Define whitelist
The next step is to define the sites that you will allow your child to access. Just click on the Approved Sites tab and enter new sites like below.
I started with a general set of Club Penguin, ABC Kids, Mathletics, the school website, etc.
Step 2 - Specify approved sites
Step 3 – Lock it down
By default, a user would still be able to access any other site or add other sites to the whitelist.
Click on the General tab. Under User options, clear the setting Users can see website that have no rating.
Then under Supervisor password, create a password and REMEMBER THIS! This is the password to disable the Content Advisor, or to add sites to the whitelist.
Step 3 - Configure General Options
Step 4 – Try it out
Now when you try to navigate to a site that is not on the whitelist, the user will see the following screen.
The kids, not knowing the password, will not be able to access the site. However, since I know the password, I can choose to add the site to the whitelist.
Step 4 - Site blocking in action
