Google's SafeSearch Setting Can Now Be Locked

Google is introducing a new tool for concerned parents or teachers, which allows them to lock the SafeSearch setting in the search engine. The feature which removes results of a more adult nature from the search engine has been around for years, but now Google is making it so that you can't change it unless you know the password. As an added bonus, when the feature is locked down, the search engine will feature a visual cue, the Google balls, in the search results page.

“While no filter is 100% accurate, SafeSearch helps you avoid content you may prefer not to see or would rather your children did not stumble across. We think it works pretty well, but we're always looking for ways to improve the feature,” Pete Lidwell, product manager, and Aaron Arcos, an engineer at Google, wrote.

“Today we're launching a feature that lets you lock your SafeSearch setting to the Strict level of filtering. When you lock SafeSearch, two things will change. First, you'll need to enter your password to change the setting. Second, the Google search results page will be visibly different to indicate that SafeSearch is locked.”

The SafeSearch filter was designed to keep explicit results from popping up both in the regular search and the image search. It's accurate enough as it is, but it could be easily disabled by anyone wanting to go around it. And, with kids knowing more about computers than their parents, it wasn't exactly great for this purpose.

Now though, the setting can be locked down adding an extra layer of protection. Parents or teachers can use a password for the feature, after which the setting can only be changed if you know the account's password. And to make sure that it stays locked, when activated, the search results page will feature a visual indicator, large enough to be seen “even from across the room.” In case you were wondering, the page will now feature four balls in Google's colors, green, yellow, red and, yes, blue similar to the image it uses on its Twitter account.

The problem is that it can still be bypassed fairly easily. For one, it has to be enabled for every browser on the computer and for every user account. It remains active if you log out, but getting rid of it is as easy as clearing the cookies stored by your browser. However, this is where the balls come in handy, as doing this will also remove them from the search page.