How to Make Google Search Safe for Children and Minors

Google uses a search technique that scours the web looking for web pages that contain the words or search terms that a user has typed into the search box. Thus, sometimes it can produce search result pages that contain a bewildering, exotic, and wholly inappropriate array of web page links, images and videos. Children should be protected from such situations when they use Google.


The following are steps a parent or adult can take to avoid such disconcerting situations:
1. Use Google's SafeSearch options. SafeSearch works by blocking web pages that contain explicit and sexual content from appearing in search results. To do this go to the Google home page and click on the Settings link in the bottom right-hand corner of the web page. The SafeSearch filtering option is usually the first setting on the Settings page. Check the "Turn on SafeSearch" box to activate it.
According to Google, "SafeSearch can help you block inappropriate or explicit images from your Google Search results. The SafeSearch filter isn’t 100% accurate, but it helps you avoid most violent and adult content.".
You may also decide to make SafeSearch the default/permanent mode. For that you have to click on "Lock SafeSearch" which is the other option available under the SafeSearch setting. You have to be logged in to your Google account to activate this setting.
2. Clear past searches from the browser. When a user types a search term into the search box, possible matches from previous searches appear under the box allowing the user to simply click on one of them if a match is found. It can be embarrassing if some of the suggested matches are explicit search terms an adult has previously used. To prevent this always delete search history from the browser particularly if it contains explicit material. To do this depends on the browser in use (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, etc). If you cannot find the "delete search history" option, consult your browser's help function or look it up on the internet.

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3. If you have a Google Account and you are signed in when you use the Google search box, you can clear particular searches from your web history or you can remove web history from your account so that search suggestions do not show up.
4. Virtually all browsers offer a private mode for browsing the internet. It is called Incognito in Google Chrome, InPrivate in Microsoft Edge, and Private in Mozilla Firefox. When using private mode, web searches are not recorded or stored in the browser's history. Look for the browser options button in the top right-hand corner of your browser window, click on it to display the options and select the private browsing mode available on your browser.
5. This is added as an afterthought for adults and parents who are multilingual. You can choose to display Google's search result in a language which you think children will not understand. To do this, click on the Preferences link and under the Search Language option, select a language other than English.
Despite the above suggestions, whenever possible, it is best not to conduct searches on content which is inappropriate for children on a computer which they might use.

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