
Ken Colburn is the founder and CEO of Data Doctors Computer Services,.
K9 WEB PROTECTION CHROME FREE
If you want more control than what supervised users offer, a third-party parental control add-on may be a better option.Ī free option for Chromebooks and Chrome browsers is available from a company called BlockSi.īefore you do anything with a device provided by your child’s school, make sure you consult its IT department to understand what can and can’t be done. Prevent them from creating new profiles.īy default, a supervised user can go to any website that they want, so you’ll have to decide if you want to block certain websites or limit access to only approved sites.ĭetailed instructions for setting up supervised users is located at Chrome Help.Review websites that have been visited.If you can log in as the owner, you can setup a supervised user which will give you the ability to do the following:

K9 WEB PROTECTION CHROME INSTALL
If you’re logged in as a supervised user, an icon that looks kind of like a tall building connected to a short building should appear next to the status area where the account picture appears.Īnother way to check is by going to the Chrome Web Store to see if it will allow you to install an app or extension. If it won’t, you’re already in a limited profile that is being managed by the school. In order to create a user profile that can be supervised, you will have to be logged into the "Owner" account, which may be controlled by the school. You can do something similar at home by using OpenDNS, which I’ve written about in the past.Ĭhromebooks also have options that can be used to manage and monitor what is being accessed by creating supervised user profiles. Schools also manage content through their Internet infrastructure from a central set of controls, which limits access to certain types of content, no matter what device is connecting. It uses Google’s Chrome OS and is essentially a terminal for Internet-based services, so you can’t use any of the traditional parental control programs like K9 Web Protection.ĭepending upon how the school set up the Chromebook, it’s possible that it’s being managed through a special license, so you may want to check with it first. K9 Web Protection provides detailed reporting, parental controls, optional secure search, and site visitors logging.


They’re especially attractive because they’re generally in the $200-$300 range and they aren’t subject to common malware that can infect Windows- or Mac-based computers. This web filter service is specifically designed to work on Chrome as well as other major web browsers such as Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari. Question: What kind of parental controls can I use on a Chromebook at home that our school supplied for my child to use?Īnswer: Google Chromebooks, which are inexpensive alternatives to a traditional laptop, are becoming more widely used in many schools.
