If parents monitor their kids’ use of the computer, place it NOT in a closet, but in a very prominent place in the general family room where the parents can be there any time at all, the kids would not be able to so easily use the computer for the wrong reasons. Our computer is in a room where we are in and out all the time when the kids are home. NO one gets to use the computer without the knowledge that it is totally visible at all times, though we respect their privacy by not standing on top of them. The computer has always and only been used for research papers, or to IM friends (and we always knew who each friend is) etc., and no chat rooms were allowed at all. My kids are adult now, but they still “follow the rukles.” Because if they didn’t (and I would know from the history which is retained in the computer, even when they think they have deleted something), their Screen Name would be eliminated from the computer, and I would block their access. I actually had to do this one time in the last ten years, and it was only because the child involved started to monopolize the computer, so I limited the days and hours during which he could access it, as well as the amount of time alotted to him. He was not happy, but I am the parent and he was then only 12. He did learn not to be so greedy, and made good use of the computer when he was able to use it.
I still do not agree with the points about the awfulness of the computer, but I hear what you are saying about the filter, and I guess it means that parents need to be even more creative. There is a Master Screen Name for each computer. Don’t allow the kids access to that, because they CAN get around any parental controls in that case. I used secret words that only I would think of to keep my Master Status the only one, and my kids couldn’t do anything on the computer without my haskama.