Prevent access to inappropriate content on Search Engines

You can use the Smoothwall to prevent users from accessing inappropriate content through search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, Bing or Ask. There are several ways to achieve this:

• Search Term Filtering: You can block words or phrases to stop users from searching for inappropriate content.
• Block Search Suggestions: You can turn off search suggestions to stop the search engine from suggesting content.
• Block images: Make Google only show images licensed under the Creative Commons license.
• SafeSearch: Most major search engines offer a SafeSearch feature that you can enforce with a Content Modification policy.

Block Search Suggestions

Some search engines may suggest inappropriate content that doesn’t match the user’s intent and can flag as a Safeguarding breach.

You can remove search suggestions by creating a Web Filter policy with Search Suggestions in the What field, and Block as the Action.

Block unlicensed images in Google

Google Image search, thumbnails or search suggestions can sometimes show inappropriate images even when SafeSearch is enforced. Restrict search results using the Enforce Google Image Licensing Content Modification so users see:

• The Creative Commons licenses setting activated in Google Image results.
• Only images licensed under the Creative Commons license, reducing the likelihood of inappropriate images appearing.

SafeSearch Content Modification

Force SafeSearch

This Content Modification forces search engines to use SafeSearch by rewriting URL parameters and modifying cookies.

• On-Premise Appliance: You must turn on HTTPS Inspection.
• Cloud Filter: This Content Modification works for devices using the Cloud Filter Extension or Smoothwall Browser. It is not supported for Android Filter App.

Supported Search Engines:

• Google
• Bing
• DuckDuckGo
• Yahoo
• Flickr
• Brave
• Mojeek
• All the Internet
• Pixabay
• Visymo (when On-Premise Appliance filters devices)
• Dumpert
• LiveLeak
• Izito (when On-Premise Appliance filters devices)
• EasySearch
• Ask
• Metacrawler
• Hotbot
• Lycos
• Kel
• Ilse

SafeSearch via CONNECT header

If the On-Premise Appliance filters your devices, use this Content Modification to force devices to go to the search engine’s SafeSearch domain (for example, from google.com to forcesafesearch.google.com).

Supported Search Engines:

• Google
• Bing
• DuckDuckGo
• Brave
• Ecosia
• Pixabay
• Startpage

Which Content Modification should I use?

If you only use On-Premise Appliance, or have a Hybrid setup and use the Appliance to filter devices, set up both Content Modifications. This will force SafeSearch on Ecosia and Startpage, which block URL or cookie changes and stop DuckDuckGo and Brave’s privacy features from bypassing SafeSearch.

If you only use Cloud Portal, or have a Hybrid setup and use Cloud Filter to filter devices, set up Force SafeSearch only.

Create the Content Modification policy

In a Hybrid setup (both Cloud and On-Premise Appliance), you can manage Content Modifications on the On-Premise Appliance, or change to managing them from Cloud Filter. The product you manage Content Modifications from doesn’t affect whether they work when filtering with that product.

1. (If filtering using On-Premise Appliance) Ensure you have a HTTPS Inspection Policy to Decrypt and Inspect the Everything category. If this is not possible, use the Search Engines category.
2. Create the content modification policy:
   
   • In On-Premise Appliance: Set What to Everything, and Apply Force SafeSearch (and Apply SafeSearch via CONNECT header if filtering applied by On-Premise Appliance) as the Action.
   • In Cloud Filter: Go to the Safe Search tab, toggle Force SafeSearch (and SafeSearch via CONNECT header if filtering applied by On-Premise Appliance) to On, and configure the fields.