Why Do Students Use Web Filters

For many years, schools have been using web filters to restrict students from visiting inappropriate websites; or websites that might contain inappropriate content. Sometimes the web filters can be too restricting, making it hard for students to do research or entertain themselves.
Although restricting websites at school can help teachers monitor students’ activities on the computer and provides security from thumbnails. It becomes a problem when the perfect site teachers want their students to get information from is blocked. Certainly, web filters are helpful when it comes to monitoring student’s internet activities and protects them from viewing inappropriate websites. It also assures the student’s parents their children are not exposed to any adult content at school. Without web filters, schools wouldn’t be sure what the students are able to search or view on the internet. However, web filters also prevent teachers from visiting websites, …show more content…
Some web filters can interfere with students’ work, such as blocking them from helpful sites or not giving them as much information as possible. School is the main source where students get their knowledge from and web filters are limiting their access to learning. According to the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES), students in the United States spend an average of 6.64 hours a day and one hundred and eighty days out of the year in school. If students had access to more educational content, they would be able to learn more during school hours. Also according to the United States Census Bureau 6 out 10 students are involved in extracurricular activities. Which means after school students are doing other things besides school work. Since students spend more time doing school work at school, web filters should not be as restrictive as they are so students can have an opportunity to learn at unlimited and get as much information as