Editing Internet filter (section)

==Content labeling==
Content labeling may be considered another form of content-control software. In 1994, the [[Internet Content Rating Association]] (ICRA) &mdash; now part of the [[Family Online Safety Institute]] &mdash; developed a content rating system for online content providers. Using an online questionnaire a webmaster describes the nature of their web content. A small file is generated that contains a condensed, computer readable digest of this description that can then be used by content filtering software to block or allow that site.

ICRA labels come in a variety of formats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fosi.org/icra/#tech|title=ICRA: Technical standards used|access-date=2008-07-04|website=[[Family Online Safety Institute]]}}</ref> These include the World Wide Web Consortium's [[Resource Description Framework]] (RDF) as well as [[Platform for Internet Content Selection]] (PICS) labels used by [[Microsoft]]'s [[Internet Explorer]] Content Advisor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ie6/using/howto/security/contentadv/config.mspx|title=Browse the Web with Internet Explorer 6 and Content Advisor|website=[[microsoft]].com|date=March 26, 2003}}</ref>

ICRA labels are an example of self-labeling. Similarly, in 2006 the [[Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection (ASACP)]] initiated the Restricted to Adults self-labeling initiative. ASACP members were concerned that various forms of legislation being proposed in the [[United States]] were going to have the effect of forcing adult companies to label their content.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asacp.org/page.php?content=news&item=511|title=ASACP Participates in Financial Coalition Against Child Pornography|access-date=2008-07-04|date=November 20, 2007}}</ref> The RTA label, unlike ICRA labels, does not require a webmaster to fill out a questionnaire or sign up to use. Like ICRA the RTA label is free. Both labels are recognized by a [[List of Content Control Software|wide variety of content-control software]].

The [[Voluntary Content Rating]] (VCR) system was devised by [[Solid Oak Software]] for their [[CYBERsitter]] filtering software, as an alternative to the PICS system, which some critics deemed too complex. It employs [[HTML]] [[meta element|metadata]] tags embedded within web page documents to specify the type of content contained in the document. Only two levels are specified, ''mature'' and ''adult'', making the specification extremely simple.