Block by Category Topics 1

Linksys Shield’s Block by Category feature uses technology provided by international cybersecurity firm Trend Micro™.  Once you apply an age-appropriate preset to a device, your Velop system becomes the gatekeeper for all internet traffic from that device.  When the device tries to connect to a website, the request is checked against Trend Micro’s database of known websites.  Trend Micro sends back two pieces of information: whether the website is safe (it contains no malicious software and shows no signs of phishing) and a categorization.  If the website is not safe or matches a category that is blocked for that device, your Velop system will prevent the connection.  All of these happen instantly without slowing down your web browsing.
 
For a full listing of all categories and how each preset treats them (Block/Allow), see below:

 
Topics
Child
Pre-
Teen
Teen
Adult
Description
Culture,
Education,
Academic
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
Art, celebrity news, children’s entertainment, cultural institutions, the occult, schools
Arts
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about the visual arts, such as painting and sculpture
Education
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
School sites, distance-learning sites, and other
education-related sites
Cultural
Institutions
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites controlled by organizations that seek to preserve cultural heritage, such as libraries or museums; also covers sites owned by the Boy Scouts,
the Girl Scouts, Rotary International, and similar
organizations
For Kids
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites designed for children
Reference
Material
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
General and specialized reference sites, including
map, encyclopedia, dictionary, weather, how-to, and conversion sites
Leisure &
Entertainment
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
Games, health and fitness, hobbies, humor, motor vehicles, popular culture, recreation
Recreation /
Hobbies
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about recreational activities and hobbies, such
as collecting, gardening, outdoor activities,
traditional (non-video) games, and crafts; includes
sites about pets, recreational facilities, or
recreational organizations
Sports
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about sports or other competitive physical
activities; includes fan sites or sites that sell sports
merchandise
Entertainment
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites that promote or provide information about
movies, music, non-news radio and television, books, or magazines
Games
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about board games, card games, console
games, or computer games; includes sites that sell
games or related merchandise
Health
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about health, fitness, or well-being
Travel
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about travelling or travel destinations; includes travel booking and planning sites
Vehicles
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about motorized transport, including
customization, procurement of parts and actual
vehicles, or repair services; excludes sites about military vehicles
Humor
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites intended for humor
Society / Lifestyle
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites that provide information about life or daily matters; excludes sites about entertainment,
hobbies, sex, or sports, but includes sites about
cosmetics or fashion
Restaurants /
Food
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites that list, review, discuss, advertise, or promote food, catering, dining services, cooking, or recipes
News, Business,
Tech
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
Current events, weather, business, economy,
technology
News / Media
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about the news, current events, contemporary issues, or the weather; includes online magazines whose topics do not fall under other categories
Technology /
Electronics
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about computers, the internet, or related
technology, including sites that sell or provide
reviews of electronic devices
Tabloids / Gossip
Magazines
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Online equivalents of supermarket tabloids and other fringe publications
Business /
Economy
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about business and the economy, including
entrepreneurship and marketing; includes corporate sites that do not fall under other categories
Financial Services
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites that provide information about or offer basic financial services, including sites owned by
businesses in the financial industry
Brokerages /
Trading
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about investments in stocks or bonds, including
online trading sites; includes sites about vehicle
insurance
Real Estate
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about real estate, including those that provide
assistance selling, leasing, purchasing, or renting
property
Job Search / Careers
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about finding employment or employment
services
Shopping &
Auctions
Some
Allowed
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
Sites that sell goods or serve as venues for selling or buying goods through bidding
Shopping
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites that sell goods or support the sales of goods that do not fall under other categories; excludes online auction or bidding sites
Auctions
Block
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites that serve as venues for selling or buying goods through bidding, including business sites that are being auctioned
Social, Chat,
Search
Some
Allowed
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
Social networking and online communications
Social Networking
Block
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites devoted to personal expression or communication, linking people with similar interests
Chat / Instant
Messaging
Block
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites that provide web-based services or downloadable software for text-based instant
messaging or chat
Internet Voice
Calls
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites that provide web-based services or downloadable software for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls
Search Engines / Portals
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Search engine sites or portals that provide directories, indexes, or other retrieval systems for the web
Translators / Cached Pages
Block
Allow
Allow
Allow
Online page translators or cached web pages (used by search engines), which can be used to circumvent
proxy servers and web filtering systems
Photo Searches
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites that primarily host images, allowing users to
share, organize, store, or search for photos or other images
Email Websites
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites that provide email services, including portals used by companies for web-based email
Blogs / Web
Communications
Block
Allow
Allow
Allow
Blog sites or forums on varying topics or topics not covered by other categories; sites that offer multiple types of web-based communication, such as email or instant messaging
Personal Sites
Block
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites maintained by individuals about themselves or their interests; excludes personal pages in social
networking sites, blog sites, or similar services
Newsgroup
(Forums /
Bulletins)
Block
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites that offer access to Usenet or provide other
newsgroup, forum, or bulletin board services
Politics, Religion,
Military
Some
Allowed
Some
Allowed
All
Allowed
All
Allowed
Activism, government, guns/hunting, military, politics, religion
Government /
Legal
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about the government, including laws or policies; excludes government military or health sites
Activist Groups
Block
Block
Allow
Allow
Sites that promote change in public policy, public opinion, social practice, economic activities, or economic relationships; includes sites controlled by service, philanthropic, professional, or labor
organizations
Politics
Block
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites that discuss or are sponsored by political
parties, interest groups, or similar organizations
involved in public policy issues; includes non-hate
sites that discuss conspiracy theories or alternative views on government
Religion
Allow
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about popular religions, their practices, or their places of worship
Cult / Occult
Block
Block
Allow
Allow
Sites about alternative religions, beliefs, and religious practices, including those considered cult or occult
Military
Block
Allow
Allow
Allow
Sites about military institutions or armed forces; excludes sites that discuss or sell weapons or military equipment
Gun Clubs /
Hunting
Block
Block
Allow
Allow
Sites about gun clubs or similar groups; includes sites about hunting, war gaming, or paintball facilities

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