Safe search settings
Set up safe search filters and controls so your children only see age-appropriate content when searching online. Google SafeSearch, YouTube restrictions, browsers and UK broadband controls.
SafeSearch is essential, but it's not foolproof. Combine it with age-appropriate search engines for younger children and regular monitoring of search history. Under the Online Safety Act 2023, tech companies have greater responsibility, but parents must still take an active role in their children's online safety.
Essential Search Safety Tips for UK Families
Free ISP Controls: All major UK broadband providers (BT, Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk) offer free parental controls. Activate these through your online account or by calling customer service.
Enable SafeSearch
Turn on safe search filters on all search engines your child uses to block explicit content.
Monitor Search History
Regularly check search history and discuss any concerning queries with your child.
Use Family-Safe Search Engines
Consider dedicated safe search engines like KidzSearch or KidRex for younger children.
Step-by-Step Safety Setup Guides
Enable Google SafeSearch
Turn on Google's SafeSearch filter to block explicit images, videos, and websites from search results.
Steps:
- 1Go to google.com and make sure you're signed into your Google account
- 2Click on 'Settings' in the bottom-right corner of the search page
- 3Select 'Search Settings' from the menu
- 4Find the 'SafeSearch filters' section
- 5Select 'Turn on SafeSearch' and click 'Save'
- 6Test by searching for something that should be filtered
Tip:
SafeSearch works best when users are signed into their Google account. Consider creating supervised accounts for younger children.
Turn Off YouTube Autoplay and History
Prevent YouTube from automatically playing potentially inappropriate videos and disable history tracking.
Steps:
- 1Sign into YouTube and click on your profile picture
- 2Select 'Settings' from the dropdown menu
- 3Click on 'Playback and performance' in the left sidebar
- 4Toggle off 'Autoplay' to stop automatic video playback
- 5Go to 'Privacy' settings and turn off 'Watch history'
- 6Also turn off 'Search history' to prevent personalized recommendations
- 7Enable 'Restricted Mode' at the bottom of any YouTube page
Tip:
Consider using YouTube Kids instead of regular YouTube for children under 13.
Set Up Browser-Level Content Filtering
Configure built-in parental controls directly in your web browser for additional protection.
Steps:
- 1Open your browser settings (Chrome: three dots > Settings)
- 2Create a separate user profile for your child
- 3Enable 'Supervised User' or 'Family Link' controls if available
- 4Install family safety extensions like 'Blocksite' or 'Cold Turkey Blocker'
- 5Configure the extension to block inappropriate categories
- 6Set up time restrictions and scheduled blocking
- 7Test the filters and adjust settings as needed
Tip:
Different browsers offer different levels of parental controls. Firefox and Edge have built-in family safety features.
Configure Safe Search on Popular Search Engines
Enable content filtering across all major search engines your family might use.
Steps:
- 1Google: Settings > Search Settings > SafeSearch filters > Turn on
- 2Bing: Settings (gear icon) > SafeSearch > Strict
- 3Yahoo: Settings > Search Settings > SafeSearch > Enable
- 4DuckDuckGo: Settings > Safe Search > Strict
- 5Pinterest: Settings > Privacy > Search visibility > Off
- 6Set these as homepage bookmarks for easy access
- 7Test each search engine with a potentially inappropriate query
Tip:
Consider using child-specific search engines like Kiddle or KidzSearch for younger children instead of adult search engines.
Website Categories to Block
Important Safety Notice
Below are categories of harmful websites that should be blocked for children. Use parental control software with pre-built blocklists (like OpenDNS, Qustodio, or Net Nanny) that automatically block these categories. Do not attempt to manually block individual sites as new harmful sites appear constantly.
Adult Content
Pornographic websites, explicit content, and adult entertainment sites
Prominent Sites to Block:
Gambling & Betting
Online casinos, sports betting sites, and gambling platforms
Prominent Sites to Block:
Violence & Gore
Sites depicting extreme violence, gore, or disturbing content
Prominent Sites to Block:
Drugs & Substances
Sites promoting illegal drugs or substance abuse
Prominent Sites to Block:
Dangerous Chat & Stranger Sites
Anonymous chat platforms with no age verification or moderation
Prominent Sites to Block:
Hate Speech & Extremism
Websites promoting hate, extremism, or discrimination
Prominent Sites to Block:
Unmoderated Forums
Forums and imageboards with minimal moderation and adult content
Prominent Sites to Block:
Dating & Hookup Sites
Adult dating and casual encounter websites
Prominent Sites to Block:
Self-Harm & Eating Disorders
Sites promoting self-harm, eating disorders, or suicide
Prominent Sites to Block:
Piracy & Illegal Downloads
Sites offering illegal downloads and copyright infringement
Prominent Sites to Block:
Dark Web Access
Tor browsers and dark web access points
Prominent Sites to Block:
Weapons & Explosives
Sites selling weapons illegally or providing dangerous instructions
Prominent Sites to Block:
Recommended Blocking Solutions for UK Families
UK ISP Family Controls (Free):
- BT Parental Controls - Built-in with BT broadband
- Sky Broadband Shield - Free filtering for Sky customers
- Virgin Media Web Safe - Network-level protection
- TalkTalk HomeSafe - Three filtering levels available
DNS-Level Filtering:
- OpenDNS FamilyShield - Free global DNS filtering
- CleanBrowsing Family - Free family-safe DNS
- Cloudflare for Families - Block malware & adult content
Premium Software (UK Available):
- Qustodio - Comprehensive monitoring
- Net Nanny - Established UK solution
- Bark - AI monitoring & alerts
- Norton Family - Norton security suite
UK Legal Note: Major UK ISPs have offered free parental controls since 2013-2014 through voluntary agreements with the government. The Online Safety Act 2023 builds on this by placing new duties on online platforms and search services to protect children from harmful content. Contact your ISP to activate their free parental controls.
Recommended Child-Safe Search Engines
Kiddle
Google-powered safe search engine with visual safe search for kids
KidzSearch
Child-friendly search engine with educational focus
Safe Search Kids
Search engine specifically designed for children