How much does web filtering cost?
How much does web filtering cost?
Our a specialized extension for filtering Chrome / Edge browsing and our DNS web filter are both free.
What web filtering solutions do you offer?
What web filtering solutions do you offer?
As each school or district has its own specific goals and challenges, we provide two options for web filtering: a DNS Web Filter or a Chrome / Edge Web Filter.
We encourage schools and districts to choose the one that works best for them, since they were not designed to be used at the same time. More information on these two filters is included below.
How does the Chrome filter work?
How does the Chrome filter work?
Our Chrome / Edge filter is a custom Chrome extension you install and deploy to users in your Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 admin console. It works at the account-level, meaning that if a student logs in on their school-issued email on any computer browser, the extension will be deployed and filtering their web browsing.
The Chrome web filter allows for whitelisting and blacklisting of any site and offers the function to disable access to certain sites of a given category.
We also provide granular reports at the school-level, group-level, or student-level within Bark for Schools so that you can make informed decisions on student web traffic behavior.
How does the DNS filter work?
How does the DNS filter work?
DNS filtering is a great alternative to more traditional hardware and software-based solutions for filtering the internet in schools. Our DNS web filter works at the network-level by redirecting traffic based on the information associated with your school's router and the service supplier.
Once in place, the DNS web filter will allow for whitelisting and blacklisting of any site, enforcing SafeSearch (on Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo), enforcing Youtube Restricted Mode, and offers the function to disable access to certain sites of a given category.
Within Bark for Schools you can also view granular reports on usage within your school, but due to the nature of it being network-level filtering, it cannot provide reports at the user-level like the Chrome filter can.
Do I have to use the Bark web filter for monitoring to work?
Do I have to use the Bark web filter for monitoring to work?
No, you can use Bark's monitoring alongside any third-party web filter. Bark's web filters are also available at no cost if you'd like to try them.
Keep in mind that the web filter and monitoring are separate features. The web filter only controls web browsing based on your filter policies. It does not monitor emails, documents, or images on student accounts.
Monitoring is handled by the Bark Google Workspace app or the Bark Microsoft 365 app. As long as those apps are installed, account-level monitoring of student emails and documents will continue uninterrupted, regardless of which web filter you use.
How do I troubleshoot the web filters?
How do I troubleshoot the web filters?
We've created a guide to help. Click here:
Why are there two Chrome/Edge extensions available?
Why are there two Chrome/Edge extensions available?
The two extensions serve different purposes: one monitors browsing, and one filters it.
The Chrome/Edge monitoring extension does not block any sites. Instead, it analyzes webpage titles and search queries for concerning content such as suicidal ideation, threats, weapons, and sexual content. If something triggers an alert, it will appear on your Alerts page with a Chrome icon:
The Chrome/Edge web filter extension blocks access to sites based on your filter policies, such as preventing access to pornographic sites. Blocked sites do not generate alerts. You can review blocked and allowed activity in your Chrome filter reports.
Can I set up web filtering policies for different student groups?
Can I set up web filtering policies for different student groups?
Bark’s upgraded Filter+ product includes the additional functionality of assigning web filter policies by organizational unit or student group. This means allowing and blocking different sites or categories for elementary school vs. high school—or even different classes within each!
Click here to request more information from our sales team.
Note: The granularity of the web filter assignments is based on how your organizational units or groups are structured within your Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 environments.