Can You Block Websites on Firefox?
Users of the Firefox Web browser can customize their browsing experience by utilizing free third-party applications from Firefox's database of "Add-Ons." One popular application is BlockSite, which allows you to block websites from within Firefox, disabling access to sites that you deem inappropriate or dangerous. Once the application is installed, you can block as many sites as you want and password-protect your changes to prevent others from changing the settings.
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Importance
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Blocking websites is particularly important for parents whose young children and teenagers use the computer unattended. With the vast amount of adult content and other inappropriate material available online, it is wise for parents and guardians to be proactive and limit their children's exposure. Mozilla Firefox gives parents and computer administrators the ability to block access to certain websites through third-party applications. All of these third-party applications are free, though some do suggest a donation amount upon downloading and installing the application.
Considerations
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When choosing a method of blocking websites, it is important to consider the security of the application -- particularly if you are blocking websites from teenagers or other computer-savvy individuals. The application BlockSite gives users the ability to password-protect their settings, making it difficult for other users to modify the settings without your permission. KidZui, a kid-friendly Web browser offered through the Firefox application store, also blocks inappropriate content, but is only effective when the application is open. This makes it more appropriate for young children who would be less tempted to click out of the KidZui browser to peruse the Web without restrictions.
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Finding Applications
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Firefox users who want to add applications to their browser can access the third-party database by clicking "Tools" in the browser's upper menu bar and selecting "Add-ons" from the drop-down menu. This will bring up a pop-up window with available add-ons for download. To browse all of the available programs, click the link on the right side of the screen that reads, "Browse all Add-ons." From here, you can search by category or by popularity.
Configuration
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Once you've selected the content-filtering add-on for download, follow the on-screen instructions to install the add-on and configure its settings. In BlockSite, you can create a list of websites to block from your Firefox browser, disabling direct access to the sites as well as hyperlinks to those sites. This block list can be updated as often as you'd like to include new sites.
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References
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