Filter products can usually also block access to newsgroups, chat rooms and email. None of the filtering tools blocks all unsuitable material. Label tools attach labels to Internet sites, which can then be read by most browsers. The browsers can then be set up to block access to web sites or provide labels showing the site is unsuitable for children. Labelling tools can operate in combination with filtering tools.
Safe zones are an alternative to filtering or labelling.
Safe zones are services providing access to a range of sites, separated from the rest of the Internet, which are suitable for children. Some filter tools have the option of a safe zone which limits users to a list of 'good sites'. Most of these tools restrict access to unsuitable or objectionable material. However, a number of filtering tool makers are now adding privacy protection mechanisms to their filters to help prevent children giving out private information. One way to think about the difference between these sorts of tools is to imagine a visit to the beach.