Web-filtering software is a good idea, because browsing the web can seem like an increasingly dicey proposition. The risks for kids range from mild (inappropriate images) to downright dangerous (sexual predators). As if that weren't enough for parents to worry about, there are also viruses, spammers, phishers, hackers, and identity thieves.

Web-filtering software can help protect your children by limiting the web sites they can visit, limiting the amount of time they're allowed to spend online, preventing them from sharing personal information, and monitoring and logging online conversations. Web-filtering software is available in two basic forms: as standalone software and as part of a suite that may also include antivirus software, anti-spam software, firewalls, and other security tools.

Here are some possibilities to consider.

CA Internet Security Suite 2007

The web-filtering tools in CA Internet Security Suite 2007 are provided by a third-party web filtering program called K9 Web Protection, which is also available free from the developer's web site. K9 Web Protection lets you block web sites by category, such as pornography, or by protection level, such as moderate. The custom protection level lets you select a broad range of categories in addition to commonly blocked categories. We found some of the categories, such as travel, real estate, and restaurants, a little puzzling.

A proprietary Dynamic Real-Time Rating feature rates pages on the fly, which is a better solution than relying on a keyword database that needs frequent updates.

CA Internet Security Suite 2007

Freeverse BumperCar 2.1.1

BumperCar is a customizable web browser that lets you decide where your kids can go on the web. The browser is easy to set up by age group (younger or older children), by theme (home or education), and by protection level (low, medium or high). The main problem is that BumperCar's settings only affect BumperCar. There's nothing to prevent children from launching a different browser that's installed on the computer and going wherever they want. The only way around this is to create a Mac OS X log-in for each family member, and ensure that BumperCar is the only installed browser for any accounts that need monitoring.

In addition to the default settings, you can add sites to a blacklist to block all access; allow or block cookies, Javascripts, Java applets, and downloads; filter search engine results; block chat rooms; and limit Internet access to certain days and times.

McAfee Internet Security Suite 2007

Web filtering is just one of the almost dizzying number of options that McAfee Internet Security Suite 2007 offers. Surprisingly, its parental control features can hold their own against dedicated web-filtering software. Options include the ability to filter web sites by category or keyword, block all access to specific web sites, and prevent personal information from being sent via chat, email or web pages.

We were impressed by a couple of unique features that are new in this version. McAfee ImageAnalysis analyzes images on the fly and blocks any that meet its definition of inappropriate. As you might expect from the first version of a tool, it doesn't always get things right, but it's an interesting and promising option. The SiteAdvisor feature labels web sites and search engines with safety ratings, to warn you about sites you might want to avoid.

Panda Software Internet Security 2007

Panda offers web-filtering tools as well as antivirus, anti-spyware, and other security tools. The web-filtering tools aren't installed by default, which makes the installation process a bit more cumbersome for parents who aren't particularly computer savvy.

You can use the preset profiles, which are set up for different age groups, as well as create custom profiles as appropriate for each family member. You can also manually add sites to blacklists or whitelists, to block or allow access, respectively.

Panda can monitor chat or instant messaging conversations. But it doesn't offer the option to set time limits on Internet access.