If geeks love it, we’re on it

Google’s balls keep you safe

Google’s balls keep you safe

It can be incredibly hard–in fact, virtually impossible–for today’s parents to keep their children from finding naughty things on the Internet. However, in an effort to make it a little bit safer, Google is now allowing parents to lock the engine’s SafeSearch level.

SafeSearch allows users to specify how NSFW they want their search results to be. While some items can still slip through, setting the function to “moderate” prevents most bad images from showing up, and strict search monitors both images and websites.

The new function allows users to lock Google at “strict search,” and also changes the appearance of the Google logo in the left upper corner of the screen. Instead of saying Google, large colored balls appear, which allow parents and teachers to spot whether or not Google is locked from across the room.

If you’d like to employ the SafeSearch lock, Google has published a how-to video.

Comments

  1. jared
    jared *logout*
    (and clear cookies just to be sure).

    search for pr0n.

    done.
  2. _k
    _k I find it funny jackie wrote this, given this and ICOK this year.
  3. lordbean
    lordbean yeah...

    this seems like a good idea, except that it's dependant on the google account being logged in. It might have been a better idea to temporarily tie a google account to an IP address and enforce safesearch for that IP address instead.

    Downside? If your IP cycles and someone else gets it before safesearch gets unlocked, unintended search blocking occurs. That'd be the biggest problem they'd have to figure out.
  4. Dare
    Dare I guarantee you young, energetic, somewhat coherent males will find an efficient way around this in little to no time.


    Porn is a good motivator.
  5. Shorty
    Shorty Nice idea, horribly flawed.

    Use internet to research ways around it, implement workaround, porn, run one out, sleep with tissue till mom finds you.

    Not a great execution but achievable.

Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!