CYBERsitter:

Where do we not want you to go today?

A close look at CYBERsitter reveals an agenda that infringes on the rights of children, parents and teachers wherever the program is used. Despite the hype over "parental control" as an alternative to government censorship, it is Solid Oak Software that takes control when CYBERsitter is running on your computer.

The Process

CYBERsitter scans web pages, newsgroup messages, and Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channels for words and phrases on its list of banned character strings. These characters are replaced with blank space, and the program makes an entry in a secret log every time a page is downloaded containing a forbiddenm word. The word "gay" is allowed, but not "gay rights", "gay community" or "lesbian". Likewise, "sex" by itself is OK, but not "sexual", "safe sex" or "have sex". Also banned are words like "naughty", "violence" and "fairy".

World Wide Web censorship

The National Organization for Women page and Peacefire's page are two of the many sites--as opposed to words and phrases--that are wiped out by CYBERsitter. Solid Oak Software typically does not ban individual web pages but rather entire domains. All CRL Network Services home pages are blocked. Community ConneXion, makers of the Anonymizer, and online communities such as WELL and ECHO are banned. The mega-ISP CRIS.com, owned by Concentric, is off limits.

CYBERsitter's definition of "offensive" content cuts a wider swath of censorship than almost any other program.

Behind the Scenes

Where does the CYBERsitter banlist come from? The makers rely on in-house web surfers working for Solid Oak and on tipoffs sent in by CYBERsitter customers.

Solid Oak does not notify service providers when their sites are blocked. And unlike arch-rival Cyber Patrol, Solid Oak does not provide an appeals process for web authors whose pages are placed off limits.

What are we going to do besides talk about it?

Peacefire is contacting various domain owners who have been banned by CYBERsitter. Solid Oak Software states that their blacklist includes "any site that focuses on topics such as adult or sexual issues, illegal activities, bigotry, racism, drugs, or pornography", an insult to the law-abiding owners of domains which Solid Oak has banned without warning or explanation.

You can contact Solid Oak Software, the makers of CYBERsitter, by sending mail to support@solidoak.com or calling (805) 967-9853. Their President and CEO, Brian Milburn, can be contacted at bmilburn@solidoak.com. Do not put the word Peacefire or Haselton in the subject line as their e-mail software has been configured to reject all messages on this topic.

Visit some of the following sites and encourage their makers div style="display:none">polo ralph lauren prix to stand up to CYBERsitter and hold their ground:

This is a list of some of the largest and most popular sites that are banned by CYBERsitter, but by no means all of them.

Questions, comments, or tipoffs: webmaster@peacefire.org.

Sources and more information:

• The CyberWire Dispatch article from July 1996 about CYBERsitter, Cyber Patrol, and other blocking programs.
• The Internet World article about blocking software.
• The Solid Oak Software home page.