Internet and World Wide Web have become a part of every individual’s day to day life. Around the globe, people use internet for many purposes. With the help of internet, people can pay their bills, book their travel tickets and even shop online. You can find both advantages and disadvantages in the internet usage. There are few websites and web pages which are inappropriate for certain people, especially children.
It is necessary to keep a check on the internet usage of children as they will be easily distracted from their studies. In order to monitor the internet usage, people can use the option of blocking the URL (Uniform Resource Locater). This is also known as URL filtering where you can block the access to certain websites in the computer system.
Benefits of URL blocking:
URL blocking refers process of allowing or denying the access to a certain websites or certain URL addresses for the web users either temporarily or permanently. If a URL is blocked, then the user will not be able to view the URL address or its web content. If you want to keep a check on the internet usage of your children, you can block certain websites which are not suitable for children. By filtering the URL addresses accessible to the user, you are adding security to the computer system.In an organization, URL blocking helps in improving the productivity.
Here, the employees will not be given access to certain URL addresses such as any social networking sites. There is an option of customizing the URL blocking. You can allow access to certain website for users in one department alone if it is necessary for their work profile. The time limit for which the URL is blocked can also be changed. This reduces the time wasted in the unwanted websites during the office hours.
URL blocking also prevents any virus attacks, spyware and phishing. This greatly minimizes the chances of intervention of hackers into the organization’s database.
Steps to block URL in Firefox:
- Launch the Firefox browser by selecting the icon
- Go to the support page to access the “Foxfilter” which allows you to block the URLs
- When the new page opens, set the key words in the Settings menu
- Enter the keyword of the website which you want to block.
- Click on the “save changes” before you close that window.
To block the URL in Internet explorer:
- Click on the IE icon to open the web browser.
- Select the “Tools” option.
- Click on the “Internet options” from the drop down menu and then select the “security” tab.
- Choose the red colored icon “restricted sites”
- Type the URL sites which you want to restrict and click “add the website”
- You can keep adding as many as websites you wish to block.
- Click on “save changes” to save this setting.
In order to block the websites, you need to first categorize the websites. Then you need to decide on which all categories you want to give access and not to.