Filter the Media in Your Home

How to keep your family safe online and in the living room.

In the age we live in, more information is at our fingertips than ever before; whether you're on your couch or at your computer, you are now only seconds away from any type of content you would like to see.

Unfortunately, the fantastic technologies we have in our homes can also be an open door to temptation for many of us. Did you know that the pornography industry now has larger yearly revenues than all of the sports leagues in the United States combined? Did you know that nearly half of Christian households surveyed list pornography as a major problem in their homes?

Whether you or other members of your family actively struggle with pornography, or you just want to take some steps to keep your family safe, we've put together a brief guide with some safeguards that you can easily put in place.

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13

Filter Your Internet Connection

One of the best steps you can take to keep you and your family guarded against temptation is to filter your internet connection. The SafeEyes software from internetsafety.com is a staff favorite; it's fast, works great and is very easy to install (It also works on both PCs and Macs). Click here to purchase a yearly license, and use coupon code "LHB" during checkout to receive a 25% discount (one license can cover up to 3 computers in your home).

SafeEyes is a terrific tool for families, couples and accountability partners. You can set the software to be as strict or lenient as you like, and it can even email usage reports to a significant other or accountability partner. After you install the software, have your significant other or accountability partner change the password for an extra layer of protection.

Free Internet Filtering

Another great solution for filtering your internet connection are the free online tools provided by the folks at OpenDNS. OpenDNS works in conjunction with your internet router at home to filter out unwanted websites before they even make it to your computer. It's also a great tool to block malware and fishing attempts, and it might even speed up your internet connection!

OpenDNS is easy to set up, but you might want to a tech-savvy person to help you get started. For the most foolproof filtering solution, we strongly recommend the purchase of a full software suite like the SafeEyes software mentioned about.

I would get an internet filter, but...

I don't want additional software slowing down my computer/internet connection.


The SafeEyes software mentioned above is transparent to the user; the amount of time it takes to check the sites you visit is just a few milliseconds... there is no noticeable change in your browsing speed. The OpenDNS solution mentioned above has actually been known to speed up most users browsing sessions! Unlike the filters from a few years back, these modern solutions don't hamper your internet experience.

The filters I've used before are annoying and too strict.
Modern filters can be as strict or as lenient as you like. For example, the SafeEyes software mentioned above has a "whitelist" built into it where you can list the sites that it blocks by accident; these sites will never be blocked in the future. In addition, you can also customize your filter by category, so only the content you specify will be blocked.

I don't really struggle with pornography.


The fact of the matter is that we can all be tempted. Although this may not be an active issue that you're battling, someone else in your household may struggle with it (teenagers for example). A frightening statistic to think about is that 1 in 7 of us will stumble onto pornographic content online by accident.

Children are especially at risk to this; the average age of the first exposure to explicit material is now 11-years-old. In fact, 80% of teens 15-17 years old have had multiple exposures to hard-core pornography. Locking down your internet connection is an important step in keeping you and your family safe from this temptation.

Accountability Software

Another great tool to keep yourself in check is by using accountability software. This software keeps a log of all the websites that you visit, and can send this log to a spouse or to several accountability partners.

One great free solution is the X3 Watch software distributed by XXX Church. Many accountability groups within our church use this tool and highly recommend it. TheSafeEyes internet filter mentioned above also has similar functionality built-in.

Protecting Your Mobile Device

In recent years, smart phones have grown even "smarter," adding the ability to have full internet access with you wherever you go. Unfortunately, the adult entertainment industry is now targeting these platforms extensively, with thousands of new "mobile" adult websites created every week.

The good news is that most mobile handset manufacturers have built parental controls into their handsets that can be used to lock down certain functions of these devices. The settings differ by the device and manufacturer, so be sure to check your manual to see what kind of safety features your phone has enabled.

For iPhone®/iPod Touch®

There are several great ways you can control the content that is available on Apple's two devices. The first is through the built-parental controls. Simply touch "Settings > General > Restrictions" to enable a pass code lock on parts of the software like explicit content in the media player or the web browser.

In addition to the built-in restriction settings, SafeEyes also recently released a mobile version of it's software that will filter internet content on the device. You can download this software directly from iTunes here.

Other Internet Enabled Devices in Your Home

As technology continues to develop, more and more devices in our homes now come with web browsers or some other form of internet connectivity.

Modern video game consoles such as the Wii® and Playstation 3® have full web browsers built into their software that work just like the browser on your computer. Be sure to consult the user manual to learn how to set up parental controls for these devices.

If your using the free OpenDNS service mentioned above, the content for these devices will be filtered just like any other computers connected to your internet router.

In the Living Room

In addition to blocking pornography, there are ways to control the other media that you view in your home. To help establish some boundaries when watching TV and movies with your family, there are a few easy steps you can take to help block questionable content before it reaches your screen.

Most TVs purchased since the late 90s have technology built in called the "V-Chip." Using this tool, parents and spouses can set a pin code that will block all content of a certain type unless that code has been entered by a trusted individual. More information can be found here.

Also, check the manual that came with your DVD player or video game console; most have parental control functions built in to block the playing of DVDs by specific MPAA rating.