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iPrism Site Rating Category Descriptions
DESCRIPTION
iPrism keeps your Internet Access Policy current. Internet content is continually being retrieved by
proprietary software tools, then reviewed and rated every day by St. Bernard Software's team of trained Web analysts.
Updates are automatically downloaded to your iPrism unit each evening via subscription service from St. Bernard Software.
More than five million URLs are currently blocked with 15,000 new sites reviewed and categorized weekly. The following are
the categories currently supported by iPrism.
QUESTIONABLE
Copyright Infringement
This category refers to sites that offer media, software, MP3, DVD movies or any other copyrighted
materials that are bootlegged or illegally available for purchase or download. This category is often blocked to protect
iPrism owners from liability caused by the download and installation of bootlegged software. Note that this category
does not refer to sites that are specific to computer hacking.
Computer Hacking
This category refers to any site promoting questionable or illegal use of equipment and/or software to crack
passwords, create viruses, gain access to other computers, and so on. This includes any site offering instruction on how to
hack as well. This does not include legitimate security information sites that are focused on the prevention of hacking.
Intolerance/Extremism
This category refers to any site advocating militant activities or extremism. This includes groups with
extreme political views and intolerance to individuals and/or groups based upon discriminating or racial distinction.
Questionable
This category refers to sites that are considered questionable in nature and may involve illegal activities,
but do not fall under another, more specific "questionable" category. These are sites that could contain
information about conspiracy, scams or any other suspected fraudulent behavior or activity.
Profanity
This category refers to any site that contains profanity of any kind that is NOT classified under the SEX
category. These are sites that have language that would not be permitted in common social and situations. This may include
swearing, blasphemy vulgarity or any dialog with malicious intent. It should be noted that this category also contain sites
with language that implies profanity like some jokes, poems, letters, greeting cards, etc.
Tasteless
This category refers to sites that contain information on such subjects as mutilation, torture, horror,
grotesque or any behavior that may be considered inappropriate for public audience. This will not include pornography,
nudity, or sites dealing with sexuality, which have their own specific classifications.
Violence
This category refers to sites that contain visual representations and/or invitations to participate in
violent acts. This may include war, crime, pranks, hazing, etc. A violent act may be considered any activity that uses
physical force designed to injure another living being.
Weapons/Bombs
This category refers to any site promoting the use of weapons and/or bombs and the making of bombs. This
does not include sites related to gun control (social issue).
SOCIETY
Alt/New Age
This category refers to any site relating to the advocacy and/or information pertaining to the occult
(i.e.. witchcraft, voodoo, black arts) astrology, ESP or similar forms of telepathy, fortune telling, out-of-body
experience, magic, spirituality, UFOs and mind altering practices. Any sites relating to new age meditation practices or
the study of new age principles are also included in this category.
Art/Culture
This category refers to any site relating to the arts or culture. Culture includes the beliefs, customs,
practices, and social behavior of a particular nation or people. The arts include the creation of beautiful or
thought-provoking works, for example, in painting, music, or writing. Sites falling into this category include virtual art
galleries, museums, architecture, classical music, contemporary or fine art.
Cult
This category refers to any site that advocates or discusses information relating to the use of or
membership in cults. Cults are defined as a group or movement exhibiting great or excessive devotion or dedication to some
person, idea or thing and employing unethical manipulative or coercive techniques of persuasion and control designed to
advance the goals of the groups leaders, to the detriment of members, their families or the community.
Government
This category refers to any site that is associated with governments and/or their militaries. A strong
indication is a domain identifier of either "gov" or "mil". This includes the federal government, state
government, county government, city government and any government agency.
News
This category refers to any site that is associated with online newspapers, headline news sites, new wiring
services, personalize news services and mainstream publications.
Politics
This category refers to any site that is associated with political advocacy of any type or the opinions of
the government. This includes any site promoting or containing information on any political party, pro or con. This also
includes registered and officially recognized political parties.
Religion
This category refers to any site that pertains to mainstream religion, religious activities or
participation. This includes information relating to any common religious organization.
SOCIAL ISSUES
Social Issues
This category refers to any site that that contains information regarding issues that are considered
controversial by a society. Examples of these are site that provide information on abortion, euthanasia, gun control,
drug legalization, suicide, immigration and civil/human rights and gay (or anti-gay) sites.
Family Issues
This category refers to any site that deals with issue specific to the family, including divorce, adoption,
parenting, marriage, domestic violence, child abuse, father's rights, child custody, incest. Also included in this category
are sites that offer counseling to the above examples.
BUSINESS
Specialized Shopping
This category refers to any site that sells a specific item(s) or product(s). This rating is sometimes
accompanied by another rating indicating the subject matter of the items sold.
Consumer Shopping
This category refers to any site that sells a wide range of products. These include Internet malls, online
department stores, online retail stores and online downloadable product warehouses.
Corporate Marketing
This category refers to any site that offers corporate info and product information, but does not
specifically sell their products online.
Finance
This category refers to any site that provides investment information, stocks, bonds, mutual funds,
newsletter, tips, and firms that offers these services (including banks).
Job/Employment Search
This category refers to sites that provide jobs or employment services. Includes temp agencies, career
resources and resume services.
Professional Services
This category refers to business related sites that include technical and professional services. Normally
these businesses sell a service such as legal or consulting rather than a product.
Business to Business
This category refers to sites having items that are beneficial to normal business operation.
Online Auctions
This category refers to sites that involve participating in online auctions, where the site visitor can bid
on various items.
SEX
Adult Themes
This category refers to sites that are adult in nature and are not defined in other rating categories.
Sites that have adult themes are those that are associated with the following concepts: Adult oriented entertainment not
defined in other categories that may include graphically explicit material not specifically relating to the Pornography
category. These sites are usually intended for mature persons.
Lingerie/Bikini
This category refers to sites displaying or dedicated to bikini or Lingerie that could be considered for
adult only. Sites about modeling would not be included in this area.
Nudity
This category refers to sites that provide images or representations of nudity. They may be in any artistic
or non-artistic form like magazines, paintings, sculptures, etc. This category is assigned to those sites that display both
partial and full nudity but the images are not pornographic in nature.
Pornography
This category covers anything relating to pornography, including mild depiction, soft pornography or
hard-core pornography. Pornography pertains to writings, photographs, movies, etc., intended to arouse sexual excitement.
Also, any site offering membership that may provide access to other pornographic sites will fit into this category.
Sexuality
This category contains those sites that provide information, images or implications of bondage, sadism,
masochism, fetish, beating, body piercing or self-mutilation.
HEALTH
Alcohol/Tobacco
This category refers to sites that support the use of tobacco and alcohol products. They may be
commercial sites, such as Philips Morris and Anheuser Busch, or they may be sites that support the use of alcohol and
tobacco related products.
Drugs
This category refers to sites associated with the use, legalization or advocacy of illegal drugs and the
illegal use of prescription drugs.
Health
This category refers to sites that claim to improve an individual's well being either medically, organically
or through support.
Adult Sex Education
This category refers to sites that provide sexual education information to anyone who has graduated from
high school. Topics in this category would include how to put on a condom, masturbation and other adult topics such as
orgasm and ejaculation.
K-12 Sex Education
This category refers to sites that are associated with sex education of children. This includes sites that
offer information about sex, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, human reproduction, contraceptives, medical research or
any other sexually oriented material used to educate. Information within these sites may be minimal in nature as in
technical journals, dictionaries, encyclopedias or other reference materials. Sites may also display subtle images or
graphics showing sexual organs.
RECREATION
Entertainment
This category refers to sites associated with passive activities – meaning visitors are looking for
"sit back and entertain me" sites such as those dealing with movies, television, music, amusement parks, fan
clubs, etc. Sites dealing with activities outlining the various ways of amusing people, especially by performing for
them or something that is produced or performed for an audience.
Digital Music
This category refers to sites that offer and include legal MP3s, streaming music and video, etc.
Gambling
This category refers to any site that presents information about gambling for the purpose of advocating its
practice or providing instruction on any gaming activity that involves gambling or provides on-line gambling.
Games
This category refers to any site that is associated with traditional board games, role-playing games and
pursuits. This includes that promote game makers (Mattel), electronic games, video games, computer games or online games.
This category includes both game hardware & software. Also included are tips, advice and cheat codes on playing
computer/Internet based games and web sites hosting games and contests.
Hobbies/Interest
This category refers to any site associated with the non-competitive active pursuits or interests outside
one's regular occupation or an activity engaged in for pleasure and relaxation during spare time. This would include pet
lover sites, sewing, cooking/recipes, model building/making, woodcarving, stamp/coin collecting, mountain biking, hiking,
etc.
Sports
This category refers to any site that contains information about sports or sports related activities. This
includes sites that provide sports scores or games. These sites may also contain information about sporting events, camps,
teams or outings.
Travel
This category refers to sites specializing in travel and travel-related information or activities. This
includes travel destinations, reservation services, discount travel listings, leisure travel package listings, and special
events in various cities. Also included are sightseeing guides, airlines and online flight booking agencies, accommodations,
information and weather bureaus. Additional items such as chamber of commerce or non-government information pertaining to a
given city or region can also be assigned this category.
Mature Humor
This category refers to any site that contains mature themes and humor that may not be suitable for
children, but do not contain pornography or strong profanity. These sites may contain a limited amount of "PG-13"
profanity without a profanity rating.
INTERNET (Web)
Anonymizer
This category refers to sites that allow the user to surf the net anonymously. It also refers to sites
that allow the user to send anonymous emails. This also includes sites providing proxy bypass information or services.
Discussion Forums
This category refers to sites dedicates to Usenet, Usenet news, forums, newsgroups, online bulletin board
system.
Translators
This category refers to any site that offers the service of translating a page, URL, or phrase into various
different languages.
High Bandwidth
This category refers to sites that take up a significant amount of bandwidth. Examples: mp3s,
videoconference, download sites for software/games, MPEG.
Email Host
Sites that provide email accounts, free or otherwise.
Online Chat
This category refers to any site that offers access to, software for or participation in any Internet chat
forum. The notion of chat is associated with any online conversation involving at least two people that takes place in real
time.
Shareware Download
This category refers to sites that specialize in the downloading of *legal* software.
Web Banners
This category refers to sites that provide services links/banners/ads for web sites. This could also include
redirect services.
Web Host
This category refers to sites that offering web hosting services, free or otherwise. These sites would
usually offer domain names and web spaces to host end-user web pages.
Web Search
This category refers to sites that specialize or offer a Web search engines. Sites containing links to other
search engines or site-specific search functionality do not qualify for this rating.
EDUCATION
Continuing Education/Colleges
This category refers to sites that continuing education/colleges offering formal course studies for
adults. College homepages will also fall into this category. This category also includes distance education, degree
programs for part time students, vocation and adult education.
History
This category refers to sites that offer a systematic, written and methodical record of important events
which concern a community of people, usually so arranged as to show the connection of causes and effects, to give an
analysis of motive and action, etc.
K-12
This category refers to sites with the identifier of "K12" (Kindergarten through 12th
grade) in the URL. Also included in this category are any sites dealing with the education of children.
Reference Sites
This category refers to site specifically dedicated to providing a research method on one or more subject
matters.
Liberal Arts
This category refers to sites that deal with general study of: English, Philosophy, Literature, Economics,
Languages, Physiology, Social and Environmental Studies, Visual and Performing Arts.
Science/Tech
This category refers to sites that relate specifically to education in Science and Technology. Also included
in this category are sites relating to education with emphasis on computers, astronomy, programming, physics, etc.
Safe Search Engine
This category refers to any search site that is specifically targeted toward families and children. Safe
search engines will not allow the child or family member to search for pornography.
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Copyright® 2008 St. Bernard Software. All rights reserved.
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