How To Set Up Your Own Free Internet Filter Using Windows Vista Internet Explorer or Firefox

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Setting Up Parental Controls and Your Own White List in Vista Internet Explorer

Don't trust internet filters! They miss a lot of objectionable content. See my article on this topic here. The answer to this problem is what is called a "White List". This is a list of allowable sites with the restriction that access to all other sites is not allowed. You can add as many sites to the white list as you want. And, if you are a Windows Vista user, this option is free! And it is not too difficult - just follow the steps below. Note that when I tried this out is worked on my Firefox browser as well as my IE browser!

Step 1- Log in to your computer using the Administrator (main) account. Click on your lower left icon of your computer screen. Then select Control Panel. Note: You need to be logged in as an Administrator in order to edit accounts and change settings.
Step 2 - In the Control Panel, choose User Accounts and Family Safety "Add or remove user accounts"
Step 3 - Select "Create a new Account". This will be the account used by those you wish to restrict internet access for. Note that you can add multiple accounts. Note: If you already have an account that is not an Administrator account and you wish to limit internet access on this account, then choose this account and skip to Step 8.
Step 4 - Type in a name for the account and select the Standard user option. Then select Create Account.
Step 5 - Choose the account you just created.
Step 6 - Select "Create a password" for this account.
Step 7 - Enter your password. Re-enter it. Then select Create password. This should be a different password than the Administrator's password.
Step 8 - Choose Set up Parental Controls.
Step 9 - Choose the User Account you want to set up the controls for (this is the account you just set up).
Step 10 - Select On, enforce current settings. Then, select the Windows Vista Web Filter option.
Step 11 - Select the Block some websites or content option. Then check off Only allow websites which are on the allow list. Last, select the Edit the Allow and block list option. Don't click on OK yet.
Step 12 - Enter a website and select Allow. Repeat this until you have all the sites you wish in the allow list. When finished select OK.
Step 13 - Now select OK on the Vista webfilter settings page for this account.
Step 14 - Click on OK in your main settings page.
To Test - Click on the lower left Windows icon on your desktop. Then select the small triangle icon that allows you to restart or switch users. Choose Switch User in the menu. Also, every time you restart the computer you are given the option of what user to log in as.

Note that this will work on both Firefox and Internet Explorer browsers! Spread the word and tell all your friends about this page and how free and easy it is to protect their kids from internet objectionable content.
Internet Filters Should Be Free - We Shouldn't Pay For What We Don't Want!