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Google locks down Safesearch

Password protection added
Thu Nov 12 2009, 12:57

SEARCH GIANT Google has added the option of password protecting its Safesearch filtering feature.

The Safesearch filtering option has been around for a while, allowing users to get Google to Strictly, Moderately or Not filter adult content from their searches. However, anyone has always been able to quickly change the settings.

The new addition gives users the ability to prevent kids or employees from changing this by locking it onto the Strict setting and requiring a password to change it.

The clever clogs at Google have even added a large logo which appears in the top right hand corner of the search results to indicate that the search results are suitably protected. This helps make it easier to spot if little Johnny or Joe Worker has ferreted out the password.

coloredballs

A demonstration video of how to implement the Safesearch password feature is available on an official Google blog post. µ

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Comments
Experimentally confirmed

Clearing private data in Firefox or using private browsing will stop it from working.

posted by : PJ, 13 November 2009 Complain about this comment
@DG

And obviously no one has thought they can use flash cookies to make it resistant to incognito mode, cookie cleaning or switching browsers... But yeah, this sort of technique is likely reserved for the top-priority user tracking for delivering ads.

posted by : PJ, 13 November 2009 Complain about this comment
@DG

If Johnny has the administrative rights to run--let alone install--an alternative browser, I doubt some Google password protection is really going to do much anyway.

posted by : BB, 12 November 2009 Complain about this comment
Or in the case of Chrome etc

Opening a new incognito window should do it, and deletes all local traces into the bargain...

posted by : DG, 12 November 2009 Complain about this comment
Foolproof?

"If you have more than one browser on your computer, you need to set the lock on each one individually"

So little Johnny downloads a browser you've not yet got on your computer.

What's the betting it can be blasted by removing a couple of cookies anyway?

posted by : DG, 12 November 2009 Complain about this comment
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