Some products block in a more invisible way. Generally, tools are more difficult to disable when installed on a server, whether it belongs to a school, an Internet service provider or a filtering company, than they are when installed on a desktop computer. Some products incorporate these features, sometimes in exchange for reduced fees, or no fees at all for the product or service. School officials should understand whether advertising or marketing messages are incorporated into a product and what information, if any, will be gathered about users, either individually or in aggregate. Sites that gather information about children are now subject to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and the role schools are expected to play in the administration of this law is still under discussion.
Some children learn to subvert content controls by making their requests in a foreign language.
2001 Consortium for School Networking. All rights reserved.