Dear holy Yidden,
I signed up for webchaver over a year ago and I can tell you that it has helped me from misusing the resources available to me many many times. I know that I have a message about them even in my signature, that is only because I am such an advocate... I am not hired by them or have any connection to them besides for being a user of the software and recently starting to test an android version of it.
A filter will actually block access to inapproriate sites, but for those who find filter to be annoying when accessing appropriate content, or cannot, or will not install a filter for whatever reason, consider this option, please!
For those unfamiliar with it,
You can check out their site at
www.webchaver.com. And here is a breakdown of what webchaver is...
They seem to be distributor/partner/something with covenant eyes. Covenant Eyes(CE) is not a Jewish company, but these people are deeply devoted to Shmiras Eynaim and accountability. So webchaver is basically a downloadable piece of software which you install on your computer. It monitors all packet URL transmissions, regardless of the source (IE, firefox, chrome, windows media player, whatever). It sends this data back to its servers and stores it for your accountability partner to have access to. That really is, for most people, an enormous amount of data to look through, so they send out an e-mail once a week to an accountability partner of your choice (more on this below), and the e-mail outlines any potentially inappropriate sites visited. There is no invasion of sensitive information like bank account numbers or balances or credit card numbers or anything of that sort. Since only the URL's are captured and only temporary connection data is contained for access to secure sites, there is no access to said sensitive data mentioned.
Only you, the user, needs to have an account and pay the 3.95/mo charge (This is discounted to webchaver because covenanteyes.com normally charges 8.99/mo).
Your accountability partner is someone who will get the weekly report e-mailed to him/her. You could have many accountability partners. This someone should be someone that you would feel very uncomfortable with seeing inappropriate site visitation... someone like a Rebbi, Wife, Mashgiach, close friend, whoever. This person will need to make an account but will not be charged anything at all since they themselves are not using the software. By making an account, they will also have the option of logging in and actually looking through all URL's visited by you if they so wish or they can generate the same report as what they get in their e-mail at any time.
This webchaver (which is actually CE) software, runs in the background on your device (PC, mac, iphone, ipod, ipad ((support for other devices is in the works))). If webchaver is not connected, you simply will have NO internet access whatsoever... And, in order to uninstall it, you have to generate an uninstall code on webchaver's website. Before generating the code, it will inform you that by generating a code, your accountability partner(s) will be e-mailed a notification that you just generated an uninstall code and ask you if you are sure you want to proceed.
A single webchaver username/password can be used on mulitple computers/devices. I have it on my work computer, home computer, and now use it to test the android version on my phone.
I wrote this relatively quickly so I apologize if parts are unclear. Feel free to reply or PM with any questions.
Also, I would like to mention that webchaver has sponsored licenses for those who cannot afford the $3.95/mo so the cost should not be in your way.
They also offer a filter add-on to their regular package which seems to integrate into the accountability portion seamlessly, however, I do not know the details of that because I have not tried it.