Category

Description

Abortion

Sites which provide information or arguments in favor of or against abortion, describe abortion procedures, offer help in obtaining or avoiding abortion, or provide information on the effects, or lack thereof, of abortion.

Alcohol/Tobacco

Sites that promote or offer for sale alcohol/tobacco products, or provide the means to create them. Also includes sites that glorify, tout, or otherwise encourage the consumption of alcohol/tobacco. Does not include sites that sell alcohol or tobacco as a subset of other products.

Alternative Spirituality/Occult

Sites that promote and provide information on religions such as Wicca, Witchcraft or Satanism. Occult practices, atheistic views, voodoo rituals or any other form of mysticism are represented here. Includes sites that endorse or offer methods, means of instruction, or other resources to affect or influence real events through the use of spells, incantations, curses and magic powers. This category includes sites which discuss or deal with paranormal or unexplained events.

Arts/Entertainment

Sites that promote and provide information about motion pictures, videos, television, music and programming guides, books, comics, movie theatres, galleries, artists, or reviews on entertainment. Also includes sites dedicated to or run by museums, zoos, or amusement parks.

Auctions

Sites that support the offering and purchasing of goods between individuals. Does not include classified advertisements.

Blogs/Newsgroups

Sites that offer access to Usenet news groups or other messaging or bulletin board systems. Also, blog specific sites or an individual with his own blog. This does not include social networking communities with blogs.

Brokerage/Trading

Sites that provide or advertise trading of securities and management of investment assets (online or offline). Also includes insurance sites, as well as sites that offer financial investment strategies, quotes, and news.

Business/Economy

Sites devoted to business firms, business information, economics, marketing, business management and entrepreneurship. This does not include sites that perform services that are defined in another category (such as Information Technology companies, or companies that sell travel services).

Computers/Internet

Sites that sponsor or provide information on computers, technology, the Internet and technology-related organizations and companies.

Cultural/Charitable Organizations

Sites that nurture cultural understanding and foster volunteerism such as 4H, the Lions and Rotary Clubs. Also encompasses non-profit associations that cultivate philanthropic or relief efforts. Sites that provide a learning environment or cultural refinement/awareness outside of the strictures of formalized education such as museums and planetariums are included under this heading.

Education

Sites that offer educational information, distance learning, or trade school information or programs. Also includes sites that are sponsored by schools, educational facilities, faculty, or alumni groups.

Financial Services,

Sites that provide or advertise banking services (online or offline) or other types of financial information such as loans. Does not include sites that offer market information, brokerage or trading services.

For Kids

Sites designed specifically for children. This category is typically used in conjunction with other categories.

Government/Legal

Sites sponsored by or which provide information on government, government agencies and government services such as taxation and emergency services. Also includes sites that advertise legal services, lawyers for hire, adoption services, information about adoption, immigration information, and immigration services.

Health

Sites that provide advice and information on general health such as fitness and well-being, personal health or medical services, drugs, alternative and complimentary therapies, medical information about ailments, dentistry, optometry, general psychiatry, self-help, and support organizations dedicated to a disease or condition.

Humor/Jokes

Sites that primarily focus on comedy, jokes, fun, etc. May include sites containing jokes of adult or mature nature. Sites containing humorous Adult/Mature content also have an Adult/Mature category rating.

Intimate Apparel/Swimsuit

Sites that contain images or offer the sale of swimsuits or intimate apparel or other types of suggestive clothing. Does not include sites selling undergarments as a subsection of other products offered.

Job Search/Careers

Sites that provide assistance in finding employment, and tools for locating prospective employers.

Military

Sites that promote or provide information on military branches or armed services.

News/Media

Sites that primarily report information or comments on current events or contemporary issues of the day. Also includes radio stations and magazines. Does not include sites that can be rated in other categories.

Nudity

Sites containing nude or seminude depictions of the human body. These depictions are not necessarily sexual in intent or effect, but may include sites containing nude paintings or photo galleries of artistic nature. This category also includes nudist or naturist sites that contain pictures of nude individuals.

Online Storage

Sites that provide a secure, encrypted, off-site backup and restoration of personal data. These online repositories are typically used to store, organize and share videos, music, movies, photos, documents and other electronically formatted information. Sites that fit this criteria essentially act as your personal hard drive on the Internet.

Open Image/Media Searches

Sites with image or video search capabilities which return graphical results (i.e. thumbnail pictures) that include potentially pornographic content along with non-pornographic content (as defined in the Pornography category). Sites that explicitly exclude offensive content are not included in this category.

Political/Activist Groups

Sites sponsored by or which provide information on political parties, special interest groups, or any organization that promotes change or reform in public policy, public opinion, social practice, or economic activities.

Real Estate

Sites that provide information on renting, buying, or selling real estate or properties.

Reference

Sites containing personal, professional, or educational reference, including online dictionaries, maps, census, almanacs, library catalogues, genealogy-related sites and scientific information.

Religion

Sites that promote and provide information on conventional or unconventional religious or quasi-religious subjects, as well as churches, synagogues, or other houses of worship. Does not include sites about alternative religions such as Wicca or witchcraft (Alternative Spirituality/Occult), or atheist beliefs (Political/Activist Groups).

Restaurants/Dining/Food

Sites that list, review, discuss, advertise and promote food, catering, dining services, cooking and recipes.

Search Engines/Portals

Sites that support searching the Internet, indices, and directories. Note: This category is used for sites which have been "parked" or contain a standard template, but does not have ratable content. These sites will be revisited periodically to ensure that their content does not change.

Sex Education

Sites that provide information (sometimes graphic) on reproduction, sexual development, safe sex practices, sexuality, birth control, tips for better sex, and sexual enhancement products.

Sexuality/Alternative Lifestyles

Sites that provide information, promote, or cater to gays, lesbians, swingers, other sexual orientations or practices, or a particular fetish. This category does not include sites that are sexually gratuitous in nature which would typically fall under the Pornography category.

Shopping

Sites that provide or advertise the means to obtain goods or services with either prices listed or a clear way to order. Does not include sites that can be classified in other categories (such as vehicles or weapons).

Social Networking

Sites that enable people to connect with others to form an online community. Typically members describe themselves in personal web page profiles and form interactive networks, linking them with other members based on common interests or acquaintances. Instant messaging, file sharing and web logs (blogs) are common features of Social Networking sites. Note: These sites may contain offensive material in the community-created content. Sites in this category are also referred to as "virtual communities" or "online communities". This category does not include more narrowly focused sites, like those that specifically match descriptions for Personals/Dating sites or Business sites.

Society/Lifestyle

Sites providing information on matters of daily life. This does not include sites relating to entertainment, sports, jobs, sex or sites promoting alternative lifestyles such as homosexuality. Personal homepages fall within this category if they cannot be classified in another category.

Software Downloads

Sites that are dedicated to the electronic download of software packages, whether for payment or at no charge.

Sports/Recreation/Hobbies

Sites that promote or provides information about spectator sports, recreational activities, or hobbies, including sites that discuss or promote camping, gardening, and collecting.

Streaming Media/MP3s

Sites that sell, deliver, or stream music or video content in any format, including sites that provide downloads for such viewers.

Travel

Sites that promote or provide opportunity for travel planning, including finding and making travel reservations, vehicle rentals, descriptions of travel destinations, or promotions for hotels or casinos.

Vehicles

Sites that provide information on or promote vehicles, boats, or aircraft, including sites that support online purchase of vehicles or parts.

Web Advertisements

Sites that provide online advertisements or banners. Does not include advertising servers which serve adultoriented advertisements. Note: This category is also used to classify sites which merely record a "hit" and then forward or redirect you to a different page.

Web Hosting

Sites of organizations which provide top-level domain pages, as well as web communities or hosting services.

Email

Sites offering web-based email services, such as online email reading, e-cards, and mailing list services.