What is Content Filtering?

Content filtering is a technology that monitors network content and prevents certain specific content from being transmitted on the network. There are two main implementations, software and hardware.

Content filtering is a technology that monitors network content and prevents certain specific content from being transmitted on the network. There are two main implementations, software and hardware.

Chinese name

Content filtering

Foreign name

content filter

Nature

Non-profit

Start time

the year 1995

Meaning

Monitor network content

Content filtering explained

On the Internet, content filtering, also known as information filtering, is a technology that blocks and denies access or use of nasty information in Web pages or emails. Content filtering is used by companies or home computer owners as part of a network firewall, especially when parents can block their children from content that they don't want to give them access.

Content filtering usually uses feature strings to work. If the content matches the string, this part of the content will be blocked. The typical types of content being filtered are pornographic, violent, and hateful content. Critics of content filtering programs have pointed out that it may virtually filter out the desired content at the same time.

Content filtering and the products that provide this service are divided into web filtering-blocking information on websites or pages, and mail filtering-blocking spam or other objectionable information in emails. ^[1]

Introduction to Content Filtering Methods

Software filtering method

The software method of content filtering is mainly a technical standard "Internet Content Selection Platform" that was launched in 1995. It is a non-profit Internet developer alliance-the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Was introduced under the threat of the Communications Decent Ordinance, which was vetoed in 1997. The design concept of the Internet content selection platform is to encourage free expression and protect the rights and interests of minors, and give tools to parents or others to let them filter content for themselves and their children.

Such tools can also filter out inappropriate information sent by children or employees, such as home addresses, credit card numbers, or confidential company information.

Software filtering mainly uses keyword matching to remove specific content. With the development of Internet applications, software filtering cannot handle the rapidly growing traffic, so hardware filtering came into being.

Hardware filtering method

The hardware filtering method is to integrate the keyword matching function in a switch or router that controls a large amount of traffic to monitor the traffic on the network.

Content filtering purpose

In order to prevent the spread of violence, terror, pornography, and subversionism on the Internet, maintain network security, purify the network, and provide a green Internet environment for the majority of Internet users.