Websense - Enforce Safe Searching

[dbsocs08]

Hi All,

We are currently using Google as our default search provider, but I need to be able to enforce safe searching for the whole site. We are using Websense 6.3 and there is a search filtering option on there and it is enabled but it doesn't really do anything. Is there another setting that needs to be implemented.

Thanks in advance.
dbsocs

[FN-GM]

Have you actually turned it on?
We used to be on that version and it was fine. It also works on 7.1 the version we run

[tom_newton]

Google changed things slightly a little while back, ISTR we had to frob the safesearch rules in Smoothie - maybe call websense and see if your version can handle it?

[FN-GM]

The chances are they will ask you to upgrade.

[apur32]

Have you actually turned it on?
We used to be on that version and it was fine. It also works on 7.1 the version we run

Hi there,

We have the same problem. We turned it on and students still be able to turned it off. Any suggestions on it please????

[maniac]

According to advice from our LEA (who give websense to schools as part of their broadband subscription) google safe search enforcement only works if you've not put any other customised rules in place for google. So if you've manually re-categorized and blocked certain sections of the google site, then apparently it changes the way websense addresses the site and the enforce safe search option doesn't work properly as a result.

[timbo343]

That is interesting... I have just tested it here too and google is now searching on moderate search instead of strict. In my websense box (a 6.3.3 box) under settings > Search filtering > i have got ticked Enable Search Filtering and a list of search providers are on there. This doesnt have an affect on google image search.

Also, i have jsut found out that on google and since they have introduced instant search, the keywords arent been blocked either....

[tom_newton]

You need to block instant - it doesn't play nice with search term filtering, which is really essentail to cover all searches other than porn (which is all safesearch blocks)

[timbo343]

Ive managed to block the preview page in google but not found anything on blocking google instant

[timbo343]

Just an update... i found google urls in the not filtered area in websense which was allowing these problems to happen. After a tidy up, we now can use strict filtering and keywords are now blocked.