NetRef Updates Internet Filtering Tool for Schools

NetRef, a tool designed to help educators control student access to Internet resources, has released version 2.1 of the software, which includes several new features.

NetRef enables schools to control student access to the Internet on a per-class or per-student basis. Teachers can use the software on their own device to allow or block access to the Internet entirely or block specific sites or apps.

New features in NetRef version 2.1 include:

  • Synchronization with the school bell schedule;
  • Teacher-generated reports of any student's online activity; and
  • Pie chart of top five most-visited apps or sites for the day.

NetRef works with any Web browser, including Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, and it's compatible with iPads, Android tablets, Chromebooks and Windows tablets and any apps running on those platforms. According to information on the company's site it's compliant with COPPA, FERPA, CIPA and PPRA regulations.

Verite Educational Systems first launched NetRef in the summer of 2014, and the tool is now in use at schools in eight states.

Further information about NetRef version 2.1 can be found on NetRef's site.

About the Author

Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • cloud computing circuit board background

    Cloud Crime on the Rise as Attackers Exploit Trust

    CrowdStrike's latest Threat Hunting Report traces a multiyear shift from conventional intrusions toward attacks that exploit trusted identities, cloud services, AI systems, and software dependencies.

  • interconnected nodes with currency symbols

    Report: Half of Gen AI Projects Could Exceed Budget by 2028

    Organizations may be underestimating the cost of generative AI as they move from experimentation to production, according to Gartner's "10 Best Practices for Optimizing Generative and Agentic AI Costs" report.

  • networked node grid featuring illuminated connectors

    Gartner: Worldwide AI Spending to Reach $2.67 Trillion in 2026

    The artificial intelligence industry is expected to generate an extraordinary $2.67 trillion in worldwide spending this year, according to a new forecast from Gartner.

  • circuit patterns

    Anthropic Intros Lower-Cost Claude Sonnet 5

    Anthropic has launched Claude Sonnet 5, positioning the model as its most autonomous mid-tier offering to date and a lower-cost alternative to its flagship Opus 4.8 system. The company said the model can plan multi-step tasks, operate tools such as browsers and terminals, and complete agentic work at a level that previously required larger and more expensive models.