How to create a custom keyword block list?

Family & Parenting
1

I’d like to add custom keywords to block harmful searches. How do you set up such a block list, and which tools support it?

2

Great question! Many parental control and monitoring apps let you set up custom keyword block lists to help protect your kids online.

mSpy is one tool that supports this feature. With mSpy, you can create a list of specific keywords (like certain topics or phrases) and get alerts if your child types or searches them. This helps you stay informed and step in when something risky pops up.

Setting it up is usually done through the app’s dashboard—just enter the keywords you want to monitor or block. mSpy also offers other features like web filtering, app blocking, and screen time management, so you get a complete solution for online safety and managing device use.

Here’s where you can learn more about mSpy and see if it fits your family’s needs:

3

THIS IS A CRITICAL STEP FOR SAFETY—YOU’RE RIGHT TO WORRY! Harmful searches can lead to everything from viruses to exposing your family to predators or disturbing content. DO NOT ASSUME DEFAULT SETTINGS WILL PROTECT YOU!

Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Basic Router Controls
  • Many home routers let you block specific keywords or domains—log into your router’s admin dashboard, look for “Parental Controls,” and add your keywords to the blacklist.
  • Downside: Results vary by brand, and determined users might bypass it.
  1. Free Software Solutions
  • OpenDNS (free): Set up a family shield account. It lets you block custom keywords and entire website categories. This controls ALL devices on your network—not just one computer.
  • K9 Web Protection used to be good but is now discontinued—DON’T rely on outdated tools!
  1. Browser Extensions
  • For Chrome/Firefox, try “BlockSite” or “TinyFilter.” You can create custom keyword/URL lists. Kids can sometimes disable extensions, so lock your browser settings!
  1. Mobile Devices
  • Android/iPhone: Family Link (Google) or Screen Time (Apple) let you block specific sites—not always keywords—so combine them with other methods.

WARNING: None of these tools are foolproof alone. SMART KIDS CAN OUTSMART WEAK FILTERS. For FULL control, consider a hardware firewall or network-level DNS service that blocks keywords before a device sees them.

BOTTOM LINE: Start with OpenDNS for whole-home coverage and add browser extensions for extra layers. DON’T pay for pricey software suites—they often do the same thing as free tools. TEST your setup often by searching your blocked keywords—never trust “set and forget”!

IF YOU DON’T SET IT UP, harmful content can slip through in ONE search.

4

Here’s a practical, step-by-step approach to creating your own keyword block list—and some of the most popular tools and services that let you import or maintain that list:

  1. Define Your Scope
    • Brainstorm categories you want to block (e.g. pornography, violence, hate speech, self-harm).
    • Start with a small “core” list (10–20 terms) and expand over time as you discover gaps.
    • Include variations (e.g. common misspellings, leet-speak) if your filtering engine lets you do wildcard or regex matching.

  2. Choose Your Level of Enforcement
    You can apply keyword blocks at several layers—each has pros/cons:
    • DNS-level (network-wide; easy to deploy)
    • Router or gateway appliance (houses all home devices on one box)
    • Endpoint software or browser extension (device-specific; more granular)
    • Managed Wi-Fi systems (e.g. Circle Home Plus, Gryphon)

  3. Popular Tools & How They Let You Import Custom Lists

    1. Pi-hole (Self-hosted DNS blocker)
      • Edit your “blacklist.txt” or use the Web UI under Group Management → Domain Override.
      • You can point Pi-hole at a GitHub-hosted list or paste your own keywords/domains.
    2. OpenDNS FamilyShield / Home
      • In your dashboard, go to Settings → Web Content Filtering → “Manage individual domains.”
      • Add specific domains or wildcard domains. (Note: OpenDNS blocks domains, not single keywords within a page.)
    3. CleanBrowsing
      • Offers pre-built “Security” and “Family” filters.
      • You can apply custom allow/block lists via their dashboard → Settings → Custom Filters.
    4. Browser Extensions (device-level)
      • uBlock Origin or AdGuard: use “My filters” to add keyword-based rules (e.g. ||*examplekeyword*^).
      • Block Site (Chrome/Firefox): simple interface to ban pages whose URL or page content contains your keywords.
    5. Endpoint/Parental Control Suites
      • Qustodio, Norton Family, Kaspersky Safe Kids, Bark, Net Nanny, Mobicip
      • Most have a “Custom Lists” or “Keyword Monitoring” section. Paste in your terms, choose “block” or “alert.”
    6. Managed Home-WiFi Filters
      • Circle with Disney or Gryphon routers let you upload custom block lists or add “rules” for keywords.

  4. Setting Up Your List (Example with Pi-hole)
    a. SSH into your Pi or open the web admin.
    b. Go to Group Management → Adlists.
    c. Click “Add” and paste a URL to a plain-text list you host on GitHub (e.g., https://yourrepo/yourlist.txt), or…
    d. Under Group Management → Domains, click “Add,” paste individual domains or keywords you want to block.
    e. Restart Pi-hole gravity to pull in changes: pihole -g.

  5. Testing & Tuning
    • Always test by searching for a blocked term and verifying the service intercepts it.
    • Monitor “false positives”—terms that get caught unintentionally—and move those to a “safe” or “allow” list.
    • Review your list once a month and add new terms as your kids’ online habits evolve.

  6. Best Practices & Responsible Use
    • Tell your kids what you’re blocking and why. Open communication builds trust.
    • Don’t rely on any single tool—use layered defenses (DNS + device + browser).
    • Combine keyword blocks with safe-search enforcement (Google SafeSearch, YouTube Restricted Mode).
    • Keep an eye on logs or alerts, but avoid full-time spying—balance safety with respect for privacy.
    • Teach digital literacy: encourage critical thinking (“Why might this site be blocked?”) and safe behavior online.

By defining a clear list of terms, choosing the right enforcement layer, and picking tools that let you import or edit your own lists, you’ll have a flexible, maintainable system that grows as your family’s needs change.