While Google, Bing, Yahoo! and other search engines can be very useful; they’re also the number one way that people kids can find either adult content or malware. A possible solution? A search alternative called KidRex (http://www.kidrex.org/.) KidRex is a free and straightforward way to keep your kids (and possibly even yourself!) from finding sites with “naughty” content. The overall interface of KidRex is kid-friendly. You see everything drawn in cartoons and there is a big colorful dinosaur that is exciting but also appropriate. Google powers the search engine, but there are quite a few differences between using KidRex and Google.com. If you’re an Arabic-speaking family, KidRex also has basic support for Arabic users.
How Does KidRex Block Out Bad Sites? In this way, you get safe filtering from both Google and the KidRex team! Similar to regular Google, when you search for something sometimes KidRex will display sponsored links. The neat thing is these sponsored links are always kid-friendly! You’ll also find that most search results are geared more towards things that would interest children or parents of children.
When using KidRex, if you search for naughty terms, KidRex will simply block the request. Searching for a bikini might seem innocent until a search result for Victoria Secret pops up, which in some cases even the excerpt shown underneath the search result can contain adult text.
For the typically concerned parent, KidRex offers a Parents menu where you can do a few additional things. First, there is a Webpage Removal Request Tool which allows you to report inappropriate web pages to the KidRex team. From what I’ve experienced, they are relatively quick to respond to the feedback also, so that’s another bonus vs. Google.
KidRex Pro used to be a program that competed with programs such as NetNanny and SonicWall. As of May 2018 however, the service is undergoing changes. Here’s the update on the site as of May 2018:
Have you used KidRex or any other web safety content filtering system – perhaps something like Safety Web? If you have a recommendation, please drop a comment below or join the conversation in the groovyPost community forum. Comment Name * Email *
Δ Save my name and email and send me emails as new comments are made to this post.
