How to Block Facebook in Windows XP

You never know what sort of creepy characters are looking at your children's profile.

Facebook can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a security risk and a huge time waster. As a parent you may not want your children using this website. Whether you're sick of cleaning malware off of your computer, sick of yelling, "Do your homework" or you're worried that the wrong people will take interest in your kid's profile, you can block this site without even having to download anything. Windows XP has a built-in file called "Hosts." Adding sites to this file can block users from viewing specific pages, including Facebook.

Instructions

1. Click "Start" and "Run" to open a dialog box.

2. Type "notepad c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts" without quotation marks and click "OK." Notepad will launch the hosts file for editing.

3. Scroll to the bottom of the file where you'll find the following like of text, "127.0.0.1 localhost". Place your cursor on the line below this entry.

4. Enter "127.0.0.1" then press "Tab" and type "www.facebook.com" Click "File" and "Save" to save your changes. Close Notepad.

5. Open Internet Explorer and browse to Facebook. You'll find the page blocked.

Tips & Warnings

• There is no limit to the number of sites you can block using the hosts file. Just use the same format with whichever site you don't want your kids to see.

References

• TrishTech: Redirect or Block Sites Using HOSTS File