Web filtering is a technology that stops users from viewing certain URLs or websites by preventing their browsers from loading pages from these sites. Web filters are made in different ways and deliver various solutions for individual, family, institutional, or enterprise use.
In general, Web filters work in two distinct ways. They can block content as determined by the quality of the site, by consulting known lists which document and categorize popular pages across all genres of content. Or, they can evaluate the content of the page live and block it accordingly. Many Web filter tools work off of a constantly updated URL database that shows which websites and domains are associated with hosting malware, phishing, viruses, or other tools for harmful activities.
On the surface, web filtering is pretty simple, but like all things, as you start to learn more, everything becomes more complex. With close to a billion active websites on the internet, there’s is no way that every website can be included on a web filtering program exclusion list.