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Advantages and disadvantages of internet filtering

1- Advantages

Ø      Productivity

By using filtering software in business, employers can predict more productivity from employees who have no alternatives to waste time in it.

Ø      Chat Rooms

When guardians use filtering software to block websites like chat rooms, they hope their kids not to waste their time in inappropriate materials.

Ø      File Sharing

People use internet filters software to avoid or keep their own files such as video and images from illegal trade.

Ø      Flexibility

Internet filtering software has settings that users can edit as they want. People can choose what websites to block and what websites to not. But if a website has been blocked by mistake, a user can adjust the settings to unblock such websites.

Ø      Safety

Safety is the major concerns for people. Children can use internet to help them in their education and to finish their homework. But if those children become curios to surf, they can surf through unsuitable websites like sexual web pages. So, internet filters help parents to protect their kids against forbidden materials.

Ø      Security

The same for safety, people have private data which need to protect them. In business for instance, employers need to keep employees away from some sites. For example, using internet filters to block and keep customer information away from falling in wrong hands, because, such this information can leak.

Ø      Privacy

It is good idea to have internet filtering software to protect personal information from falling in wrong hands, because identity theft cause the most real threat for people. Hackers can access to personal information and then using it in commit fraud. Hackers can use bogus websites to access to such personal information. So having such filters is good idea to keep identity secure and safe.[1]

2- Disadvantages

Ø      Wrong Sites Blocked (Over blocking)

Sometimes, some of internet filters can block a wrong websites based on constant rules. For instance, safe websites can be blocked just because they contain one unsuitable keyword. Some internet filters can block almost 20% of all the internet contents.

Ø      Certain Sites Not Blocked (Under-blocking)

             Sometimes, some of internet filters act very idle. There is no warranty that internet filters will block all unsuitable contents. And it is hard for the machine to identify the contents of internet or the meaning of internet contexts. Some idle internet filters allow access to unsuitable contents like sexual or violent images, or promotes alcohol, drugs, tobacco, crime or bigotry.

Ø      Non-Banned Sites

Internet filtering software is not perfect. In business, filters sometimes block sites that have no problems in workplace.

Ø      Number of Websites

            There is an estimated that 3 to 5 million new websites are created or renamed every week. This can makes hard for filters to store and keep track of information needed to filter internet contents. For instance, if a filter recognize porn.com web page, then by the next day this web page renamed to yoursporn.com.

Ø      Employee Alternatives

If a company filters set of websites, that does not means employees cannot access these filtered websites. Unless, they will try to find ways about how can access to blocked websites. At least, they will try for challenge. This action can increase security risks in business.

Ø      Accidental Access

Sometimes when employees make mistakes in typing URL or may they redirect to a website employee does not want. And, if their employer uses filtering software that able to take screen shots of violations, the employer can takes this screen shots as evidence against that poor employee.

Ø      Inappropriate Use

Although, internet is very helpful, but also users face many problems like lawsuits and sexual harassment cases. And in business, companies faced such problems while employees downloading or watching pornography websites during work. Filtering software can eliminate or at least reduce these illegal problems.

Sumber ; http://www.drnicolleionascu.com/social-media-and-teens-how-to-help-prevent-negative-effects-of-social-media-on-adolescent-development/