Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Internet filtering?
A: Internet filtering is a process that blocks access to certain material on the Internet. It can be implemented as exclusion filtering, which prevents access to selected material, or by inclusion filtering, which allows access only to selected material. PurePages filters all types of pornography, gambling, hate, racism and other offensive content.

Q: Which type of filtering does PurePages offer?
A: PurePages actually offers both solutions, but generally it uses the exclusion, or site blocking, method.

Q: What is server-based filtering?
A: Server-based filtering occurs on a central computer (server) at the Internet Service Provider (ISP). With server-based solutions, a site is blocked before it gets to the user's computer. It is the most efficient, least costly, and most reliable filtering solution.

Q: What is client-based filtering?
A: Client-based filtering occurs on an individual computer. The filtering software and list of blocked sites are stored on the user's computer. This was the first type of Internet filtering available to consumers. It is slow, prone to software problems, and difficult to keep current.

Q: Why does PurePages offer "filtered" access?
A: We believe there is a large segment of the of the community that has avoided the Internet entirely, and many more that are rightly concerned about using the Internet, because of the ease with which objectionable content can be encountered by them, their family members, or their employees. PurePages provides a safe and reliable connection for finding and enjoying the positive resources on the Internet.

Q: How big of a problem are these inappropriate sites?
A: A recent Wall Street Journal article stated that pornography is one of the biggest industries on the Internet. It is difficult to estimate how many sites are pornographic in nature, but to date; PurePages has cataloged hundreds of thousands of Internet pages containing pornographic content.

Q: What is the likelihood that a child, or other user, will accidentally encounter something he or she would not want?
A: Without filtering, it is extremely easy for a child to access inappropriate material, either unintentionally, or purposefully. In the first scenario, a child submits an innocuous word to a popular search engine, and the results provide links to pornography sites on the first page. Though inadvertently, the child is now within one click of pornographic material. In the second scenario, a child searches using profane or vulgar language and is seconds away from enormous resources of inappropriate material.

Q: Isn't filtering a kind of censorship?
A: Filtering is considered censorship by some, and freedom to choose by others. When a newspaper editor decides to omit a story, it has been censored. When a magazine devoted to cosmetics excludes automobiles, it has been censored or the topic has been selectively omitted. Censorship is making choices about what we see, or allow our families to see. By selecting PurePages, users are choosing not to view pornography and other inappropriate content.

Q: What does a user have to do to use PurePages filtering?
A: Not a thing! All filtering is done through our facilities and updated daily. There is no software to buy or configure and nothing to manage. Once you are set up with PurePages, like with any other ISP (Bell, Rogers, Primus, Cogeco etc.) you are on your way to worry-free Internet access.

Q: Does PurePages provide a bypass to the filter for users who want it?
A: Yes. A bypass password or custom filtering can be arranged on special request.

Q: Who decides which sites to block?
A: PurePages uses a variety of resources to create a comprehensive list of sites to block. We start with sophisticated computer searches. Then our team of dedicated professionals manually reviews each site in the company's database. We also buy lists of sites from many outsourced companies. PurePages filtering is precise and designed to avoid filtering out legitimate sites.

Q: Can children or other users disable or circumvent the filtering service?
A: No! PurePages is server-based and proxy- free, so it cannot be disabled. There is no client software to reconfigure or trick, and the network is configured so that the user cannot reroute Internet access around our servers.

Q: Do you offer DSL or DSL service?
A: Yes. We are the only Internet Company that offers server- based filtering on high-speed bandwidth!