Nintendo Implements Internet Filtering System For DS Console

Gaming giant Nintendo will partner with German network security appliance vendor Astaro to provide an extra level of security to the millions of DS users who use the onboard browser.

The DS browser already come with parental controls which Astaro's offering complements. But it goes beyond, claiming that it can filter out more than 35 million websites that contain "inappropriate or undesirable" content.

Nintendo apparently runs all the traffic from the DS consoles through its own routers (akin to early versions of Compuserve and AOL) and Astaro, which will provide an integrated hardware/software solution to Nintendo, will run as a cloud service.

Astaro will kit Nintendo with the same classification and website filtering technology found in its Unified Threat Management gear, the one the company sells to Fortune 1000 firms and organisations.

For those interested, the browser that the DSi console uses is based on Opera and makes good use of the console's dual touchscreen setup as well as the 802.11 WiFi connection.

Parents can now sleep sound knowing that their kids won't be able to access dodgy content from their gaming consoles although they will probably be able to get it either from mom's and dad's laptop or from the smartphones.

Nintendo Europe MD Laurent Fischer added that: “Web access enriches how the Nintendo DSi can be used but we understand the need for security parameters. Astaro’s service provides a powerful level of support to our users and is a valuable part of the new features within the Nintendo DSi.”

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