In part one of our series on content filtering, we discussed the plethora of problems stemming from employees who spend an inordinate amount of time online in nonproductive or irresponsible pursuits.

Known as cyber-slacking, this includes everything from checking sports scores to downloading music files or even porn videos. The upshot is that lost productivity related to Internet misuse costs Hawaii employers millions of dollars a year. Content filtering (or lack thereof) is also a real concern for home users. If there are young children who spend unsupervised time on the Internet, you'll want to be certain that they are not exposed to pornography, gambling, hate groups or other potentially harmful influences.

Of late, the subject of shielding kids from sexually explicit material has been more than just an issue for home Internet users. The Supreme Court decided last June that Congress is allowed to protect children from pornography on public library computers, a move the majority said does not infringe on the free-speech rights of others. The ruling upheld a federal law that allows the federal government to withhold money from libraries that won't install blocking devices.

Opponents such as the American Library Association and the American Civil Liberties Union contested the law, saying it violated free-speech rights of adults and could impede minors from getting information about topics including religion and health. But they lost their First Amendment challenge. (In my experience, some content filtering products do misinterpret legitimate content, but many are quite reliable in discerning between, for example, a health information Web site and porn.)

Content filtering or "content inspection" programs examine Internet-transmitted data to determine the nature of the subject matter. The material may range from malicious code (viruses) to "unacceptable" Web sites. A content inspection program is able to effectively scan incoming data and then remove or block hazardous files or offensive URLs.

Content filters can also help safeguard an organization from liability if your employees obtain illegal copies of MP3 music files, movies, software, etc. This should be taken seriously. Trade groups such as the Business Software Alliance have gotten large financial settlements from organizations such as Temple University and America Life for use of unlicensed software that was most likely downloaded from the Internet.

So, how do you maintain a consistency in policy across all media?

It's tempting to be a strict cop, but in the long run, consistent policies are easier to manage and enforce. For example, if CNN is on all day in the employee lunchroom on the TV, it doesn't make sense to block CNN.com on the company network.

A good place to start is to make certain your Internet use policy is consistent with your other acceptable-use policies (for phone, fax, office machines, etc.) and of course in line with federal, state and local government guidelines. Oftentimes you'll find yourself strengthening your other use policies so that they are consistent with your Internet use policy.

In creating policy, consider employee benefits and entitlements. Nowadays many employees consider Internet access an entitlement - much as telephone access was years ago. Prior to blocking sites - which is not a small feat - consider whether you would be as willing to restrict your phone system so that only business calls can be placed.

I believe a straightforward way to get started on a uniform policy is to inform your employees precisely what media the rules apply to. Naturally, you'll want to ensure you are within your rights to enforce your intended policy and make certain you have protected your organization against criminal and civil liabilities.

Protecting children from Internet content is something that every parent should consider. There are scads of programs that block Web sites you'd rather not have your kids spending time on.

Content filtering is not a perfect technology, but there are some excellent choices in the under-$50 range. However, the best home policy is to use an Internet filter in conjunction with basic Internet safety rules (i.e., stay out of chat rooms) as part of your overall containment strategy.

To research this topic on your own, there are countless sites dedicated to the subject. Check out internetfilterreview.com for reviews and a great list of Internet child safety resources.

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