How to: Google SafeSearch for Parents and Teachers

How to: Google SafeSearch for Parents and Teachers

Can Google searching be made safer for children?

Google’s SafeSearch filters allow you to change your browser setting to filter out adult content in Google search results. Google says:

No filter is 100 percent accurate, but SafeSearch should help you avoid most of this type of material.

How do I apply Google SafeSearch?

The steps below will need to be replicated on each browser on your machine and also possibly on every user profile (if you have several people using the same machine and they all have seperate logins)

 


Step One


Click on the settings logo, to the left of the search box.


Step Two


Select “Search settings”.


Step Three


Put a tick in the “Turn on SafeSearch” box, then click “Lock SafeSearch”.

safe-search safe-search-2

 


Step Four


Sign in using your a Google/Gmail username and password to activate lock mode


Step Five


When you see the coloured ball graphics on the Google screen, you know SafeSearch has been turned on.

Safe search


Step Six


If a search is carried out for a restricted term, no results are returned. While no filtering solution is 100% accurate, Google SafeSearch is very effective at filtering out pornography and sexually explicit material.

However, violent content may still be available while SafeSearch is turned on and locked.

SafeSearch worked well on several browsers in the tests we conducted, but you need to be aware that it may fail at times on particular machines and browsers, so just keep an eye out once in a while that it is still working as you expected.

Here is another guide from Google on how to turn on Safesearch.

Talk to someone

Worried about something you have seen online or concerned about your child? Childline and the National Parents Council Primary offer free advice and support service.

Childline is a support service for young people up to the age of 18.There is a 24hr telephone, online and mobile phone texting service.

1800666666
50101
Get started


The National Parents Council Primary enables and empowers parents to be effective partners in their children’s education.

01 887 4477
helpline@npc.ie

Report Illegal Content

Sometimes you might unwittingly stumble across illegal online content like child abuse imagery. Always remember: you can report it and get it removed using Hotline.ie.

More on illegal content

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