Firefox only: New Firefox extension Glubble whitelists parent-approved web sites for kids and locks down the browser to create a child-friendly, safe browsing environment.
Once Glubble's installed, you create your own "Glubble world" and add yourself as a "controller." Then you add individual usernames and passwords for each of your kids. From there you approve web sites that are ok for the children to visit. Essentially Glubble sets up an extra login to get into Firefox. When the kids log in, they'll see a bright and colorful Firefox skin with lots of graphics and access only to approved destinations. If the child happens upon a site that's not whitelisted, a request is sent to the controller. Then, next time you (the parent controller) logs on, you can approve or deny the requested site.
Overall Glubble's a good-looking solution to a definite problem. (We've had several parents write in with questions on how to childproof their browser for the hatchlings.) But the whole locking down Firefox and requiring logging off and logging back on to approve sites will lead to a lot of hollered "Dad, can you let me into this web site? Pleeeasse?" requests from the computer room for an active web surfing kid.
How do you deal with the young'uns on the big bad internet? Let us know in the comments. In the meantime, the Glubble beta is a free download which works wherever Firefox does.
Glubble [via CNET News Blog]
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