Software to block websites on pc: what is software that filters browsing

Answers to the search for “Software to block website on a PC” – in Italian “software per PC per bloccare i siti” – on Google return a number of applications designed specifically to restrict the browsing of dangerous sites or sites with sensitive contents (pornographic, involving pedophilia, involving blasphemy, inciting hatred or the use of weapons, etc.). Let’s see how they work and why it is important to use them.

1. What a software that blocks sites on a PC is

The definition is clear: a “software that blocks websites on a PC” is a program that can be installed on one’s computer, desktop, or laptop, as well as on a tablet or smartphone, capable of blocking access to dangerous sites that contain sensitive contents.
How does blocking take place? That is, how does software that blocks sites on PCs work? It is a browsing filtering system that comes into play when a user requests access to a site. The software “takes over” the request, goes to instantly check if the requested site is on certain blacklists, and provides a response to the browsing program. If the site is not found to be dangerous, the user gets the go-ahead and accesses the desired pages. This all happens in a time in the range of milliseconds, to the point that the user does not have to take into consideration the existence of the filter.
It is important to point out that the best software programs which block sites on PCs are more properly called DNS filters. This is because the control is done at the DNS level, that is, directly on the IP of the computer hosting the site. This is because whoever made the dangerous site could easily circumvent content-based checks.

2. Why software that blocks sites on a PC is important

The software that blocks sites on PCs is useful in different contexts. One may need it at home, to protect the browsing activities of young children. In this way, it prevents their viewing of pornographic or child pornographic contents and also contents that may endanger the surfer, such as sites that glorify violence or the use of weapons, or gambling. These tools are most useful not only for the family but also at school and in public libraries, in other words, in all contexts where there is free access to a computer by users whose age, perhaps, is not vetted.

However, software that blocks access to sites on PCs is also particularly popular in business and in public administration. Indeed, a company might activate it to prevent time spent on nonwork-related sites, such as social networks or gaming sites, from affecting productivity.

3. How to choose a software that blocks sites on a PC

Before understanding what features you should check when making your choice, let us point out that today, more than “software that blocks sites on PCs,” we talk about filtering service (via DNS). This means that, especially in the case of computer networks, you may not need to install software on your PC, laptop, or mobile device. Instead, you join a service, pay a monthly fee, and set your router or gateway to activate filtering during each browsing session.
It may also be the case that a DNS filtering service is already included in an internet service provider’s offer, or that it is included in a network installation project by an IT partner.

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Finally, we would like to remind you that all browsing programs, operating systems such as Windows 10, and many web services propose a filter for browsing, but these solutions have limitations. Those available on browsers, such as Google Chrome, or services such as YouTube, for example, block access to sites only through that browser or service.

However, dedicated software that blocks sites on PCs is universal, because it acts on whatever request comes from the user’s computer, regardless of what application is used to access a site.

When choosing the best software for blocking sites on a PC, it is important to have guarantees about the frequency of blacklist updates and the freedom to customize filtering rules. It is also important to have the broadest possible categorization of sites and a geo blocking filter available, in other words, excluding a priori domains registered in countries known to be hotbeds of cyberattacks and scams. FlashStart’s DNS Filter, for example, supports as many as eighty-five different content categories.

Today, many vendors, such as FlashStart, also make use of artificial intelligence-based algorithms. The artificial intelligence algorithm makes it possible to speed up the collection of data on DNS, domains, and contents by “learning” from the analysis of sites and predicting which other sites may be at risk of blocking. This improves filter quality and avoids blocking sites mistakenly considered dangerous (false negatives).

Finally, it is important to consider the software’s ease of installation and customization and, finally, the guaranteed latency, which is the time between the request and the DNS filter’s response.

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4. Is a DNS filter or a complete security solution better?

A DNS filter is a great way to protect browsing from malware, phishing, and the installation of Trojans. In fact, the best ones consult black lists and use geo blocking for this very purpose: to prevent the user from ending up on a site that contains harmful contents for the PC or the corporate network.

So, a DNS filter such as FlashStart’s is an excellent alternative to security software. Knowing that almost ninety percent of damage to computers and computer networks comes from a user’s opening a link, it is clear that being able to rely on a quality DNS filter is already a good step to protect oneself from cyber criminals.

A DNS filter, moreover, is much easier to activate, configure, and customize than a complete security solution. And, more importantly, it is significantly cheaper. This is why so many SMEs, educational institutions, and families have chosen FlashStart’s DNS filter. In fact, several independent agencies report it as the best compromise between quality and price.

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