At any given moment of any random school day, chances are high that your students are online. No big deal, right?
Think again. Internet access is just as dangerous as it is beneficial to your digital school system. Whether in the classroom or at the library, minors are only a few clicks away from inappropriate content, the likes of which could be a violation of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
Even worse, students who access harmful content may be in danger — not only in terms of their personal information but also their physical and emotional well-being. With a risk as big as that, content filtering is absolutely essential. In fact, it’s the law.
This guide will connect the dots between CIPA compliance and content filtering. From where they overlap to how they work, we’ll give you everything you need to know about CIPA filtering and how you can start protecting children from harmful online content.
The Children’s Internet Protection Act is a law that impacts almost every public school district and library in the United States. Congress enacted the bill in 2000 to address concerns about minors accessing obscene or harmful online content.
At the time, lawmakers were worried that pervasive exposure to explicit material (like a visual depiction of violence) could have lasting consequences on children’s mental and physical health — and they were right. Studies show a child who consumes harmful content is more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors and experience anxiety, depression, and self-harm.
Given these implications, the United States government uses CIPA to ensure schools keep their internet connections safe and encourage responsible online browsing.
According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) — the agency that oversees CIPA — schools must adopt an internet safety policy that addresses the following:
Another key requirement of CIPA compliance is that a school’s internet safety policy must include a technology protection measure to block or filter internet access. In other words, schools are legally obligated to implement a web filter to monitor and regulate students’ online behavior.
It’s also important to note that CIPA compliance is intertwined with E-rate funding. The E-rate program is one of several federal programs providing financial assistance to schools and public libraries.
Run by the Universal Service Administrative Company, the initiative reimburses schools in exchange for discounted technology services, including internet access. Covered entities that violate CIPA regulations may lose their program eligibility, thereby losing their discounts, too
Bottom line: Whether you’re part of the E-rate program or not, all school districts must use filtering software of some shape or form.
CIPA filtering — also known as content filtering, web filtering, or internet filtering — is a process of restricting access to particular types of internet content (in this case, anything deemed impermissible for a child).
With a filtering solution, you can block particular websites or harmful material. Aside from protecting children, content filtering is also an important part of your school’s cybersecurity posture.
Think about it: If someone browses a malicious website, they may download an attachment and unwittingly infect your district with malware. With an internet filter, you can stop hackers from obtaining your students’ personal information by rendering the incident impossible in the first place.
Filters work much the same way data loss prevention (DLP) tools do. They allow you to create a set of predetermined rules that dictate how your filtering software operates.
Based on these preferences, the tool will identify content patterns like text strings or specific objects within an image or website. Once a pattern is detected, the filter either blocks or screens the content according to your parameters.
Most internet filtering solutions use a combination of the following methods:
It’s important to note that not all content filters are made the same. Some work better than others, which means you should deploy a solution that won’t fail when you need it most.
Don’t worry — we’re here to help. When searching for the ideal platform, it’s best to keep a few things in mind. Here’s what you should look for when shopping for a content filtering solution:
ManagedMethods is bridging the gap between internet filtering and cloud security. In addition to Cloud Monitor — a DLP platform made specifically for K-12 Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 — we provide the tool with all the capabilities you need to restrict internet access at scale.
Content Filter by ManagedMethods is a browser-based solution. That means there’s no complex installation process, allowing you to get up and running without delay. Plus, it comes with out-of-the-box support for over 30 website categories, covering over 300,000 domains. Why? So you can start protecting children from day one.
Unlike other tools, Content Filter isn’t just made for CIPA compliance — it’s also a school safety solution. With a blend of advanced techniques and artificial intelligence, it detects potential safety signals in online browsing, social media, and more. That way, you can identify students at risk of self-harm, suicide, sexually explicit content, cyberbullying, and violence from one simple dashboard.
Remember what’s at stake here: Inappropriate content and malware are only a few clicks away. The good news? Our solution is even closer. Schedule a demo today to find out more about our content filtering and cloud security solutions.