How does blocking software such as Net Nanny work?
Blocking software works by checking sites for “objectionable” content and then barring access to those sites. Once installed, the software swings into action whenever the computer is used to access the Internet. It examines the URLs that are entered into the browser and checks them against a database of suspect URLs. These databases are updated regularly, so that as many objectionable sites as possible will be caught in this software net. The software also checks the URL for words and word strings that might indicate the kind of content likely to be found on the site. If the URL indicates that the site will be objectionable, the software stops the URL from being loaded and instead informs the surfer that they have been denied access to the site.
