Filters don't work

A guy who sells web filtering software posted a column arguing that filters don't work.

Well, he argues that filters should be built around human intelligence. That in schools, teachers should be given the authority to make judgment calls about which pages are and aren't appropriate, rather than assuming that one list can do it all.

I'm biased - I already made up my mind years ago that filters suck. But it's still true: you can't write a computer program that can tell the difference between an amateur photography site that shows pottery and an "amateur" "photography" site that features pictures of "jugs". You have to be smarter than the computer. Which means designing computers to depend on the smartness of people.

If you have kids, keep the computer in the living room. In a school, point all the screens where you can see them. And give the teacher a password that lets them access anything. Because treating teachers like they're idiots is stupid.