Nearly every major search engine on the internet comes with the ability to filter out most “adult” web content that is not appropriate for children. Unfortunately none of the search engines have this feature turned on to its strictest settings by default. Below are a list of all major search engines with instructions how to turn on the strict web filtering feature known as “safe searching”.

Please keep in mind, however, that just as you can turn this feature on, a savvy child can also turn this feature off. Also, in order for these features to work you must FIRST log in to the computer account to which you want them to apply! If you have more than one child’s log-in on a computer then you will need to log in as each child and turn this feature on for each web site. The time spent doing this is well worth the effort!

Please note that there are also some very good child-centered search engines on the internet. Here are the top three:
                    www.ajkids.com                     www.kidsclick.org                     www.yahooligans.com

A. GOOGLE.COM

1. Click the word Preferences which is located just to the right of the search field.
2. The third item down is Safe Search Filtering. Select the radio button for “Use Strict Filtering”
3. Be sure to click the button at the top or bottom right that says “Save Preferences”.

B. YAHOO.COM

1. Click into the Yahoo search field and enter any word such as “test” and hit enter.
2. Yahoo will return a set of links. In the upper right corner of the page look for the word Preferences and click on it.
3. Safe Search is the first feature on the list. Click the Edit link to the right of it.
4. Select the top radio button “Filter out adult Web, video, and image search results - SafeSearch On”
5. Click the Save button at the top of bottom of the right side of the screen.

C. ASKJEEVES.COM (Also called ASK.COM)

1. In the very upper right corner of your screen, click on the word Options
2. The third item down the list is Content Filtering. Click the radio button for “Filter my search results - filters search results.”
3. Click the button on the bottom of the page “Save My Settings”

D. ALLTHEWEB.COM

1. Click the word Customized Preferences which is located just to the right of the search field.
2. The first item down is Offensive Content Filter. Select the “on” radio button.
3. Be sure to click the button at the top left or bottom that says “Save and Apply Preferences”.

E. SEARCH.AOL.COM

1. Click the word Settings which is located in the upper right-hand corner of the window.
2. The first item down is Safe Search. Select the “on” radio button.
3. Be sure to click OK in the pop-up window that will confirm your settings.

F. HOTBOT.COM

1. Click the word Add which is located under the search field and next to “Custom Web Filters”.
2. The last item down is Block Offensive Content. Click the check box next to these words AND click “Always” to the right of this line item.
3. Be sure to click the Save button at the bottom of this list.

G. SEARCH.COM

1. Click the word Preferences which is located just to the right of the search field.
2. The second item down is Safe Search. Click both checkboxes to the right of Safe Search: “Filter web searches for adult content” and “Disable the link to adult content in image results”
3. Be sure to click the button at the top or bottom right that says “Save Preferences”.

H. SEARCH.MSN.COM

1. Click the word Options which is located in the upper right-hand corner of the window.
2. In the next window click the link “Change your search settings”.
3. The third item down is SafeSearch. Select the radio button for “Strict - Filter sexually explicit text and image results”
3. Be sure to click the button at the top or bottom right that says “Save”.

I. MAMA.COM

1. Click the words Power Search which is located just under the search field.
2. Preferences are located in the lower half of the window. Click the checkbox “Adult content reduction”.
3. Be sure to click the button to the right that says “Save Settings”.

J. SEARCH.NETSCAPE.COM

1. Click on the word Settings in the upper right corner of the web page
2. Click the radio button "Safe Search On"

K. DOGPILE.COM

1. Click the word Preferences which is located just to the right of the search field.
2. The second item down is Search Filter. Select the radio button for “Filter: Heavy - All results will be filtered, including Web and Multimedia Search results with as much explicit context removed as possible.”
3. Be sure to click the button at the bottom of the window that says “Save Settings”.

L. EXCITE.COM

1. Click the word Help which is located in the upper right on the yellow bar.
2. Click the link Search Tools & Tips which is located about half-way down on the left side.
3. Click the fourth link down Customized Search Preferences.
4. The first item down is Adult Filter. Select the “on” radio button.
5. Be sure to click the button at the bottom of the window that says “Save Settings”.

M. WEBCRAWLER.COM

1. Click the word Preferences which is located just underneath the search field.
2. The first item down is Search Filter. Select the radio button for “Filter: Heavy - All results will be filtered, including Web and Multimedia Search results with as much explicit context removed as possible.”
3. Be sure to click the button at the bottom of the window that says “Save Settings”.

N. KARTOO.COM

1. Click into the Kartoo search field and enter any word such as “test” and hit enter.
2. Kartoo will return a search map. In the upper right corner of the page look for the word Options and click on Parental Filter, the first item in the drop-down menu.
3. A pop-up window will ask you to enter a password to turn on the Parental Filter. Enter one and click “OK”. (Don’t use an important personal password!)

O. CLUSTY.COM

1. Click the word Preferences which is located just to the right of the search field.
2. The fifth item down is Adult Filter. Select the drop-down menu and change it to “yes”.
3. Be sure to click the button at the top right that says “Save”.

P. FAZZLE.COM

1. Click the wordS Personalize Fazzle located at the very top of the web page.
2. About two-thirds down the list of items is Adult Filter. Click the “on” radio button.
3. Be sure to click the button at the top that says “Save Preferences”.

Q. ICEROCKET.COM

1. Click the word Preferences which is located just to the right of the search field.
2. The first item down is Adult Filter. Select the “on” radio button
3. Be sure to click the button at the bottom that says “Save Settings”.