Lightspeed Systems has just unveiled a new image blurring capability within its acclaimed ライトスピードフィルター™, bringing schools a powerful new tool to keep students safe online. This innovative feature adds an extra layer of protection against explicit images while still ensuring students and educators have the access they need to valuable learning resources.
Instant, Local Image Blurring for Seamless Safety
The newly released image blurring feature is now available for ChromeOS, Windows, and macOS, working hand-in-hand with Lightspeed’s proprietary SmartAgents. These SmartAgents enable 100% local AI evaluation and protection, meaning all image scanning is done directly on the device—no images or user data ever leave the school network.
What sets this feature apart is its block-on-load approach. Images are blurred even before they appear on a web page, so students are never exposed to harmful visuals. This is a significant improvement over existing tools, which often blur images only after they’ve already partially loaded, potentially exposing students to inappropriate material and creating inconsistent results.
More Control for Schools, Less Disruption for Students
For years, school IT teams have faced a tough choice: either block entire websites (and risk losing access to essential educational content) or open the door to unsafe imagery. Lightspeed’s new tool changes the game, letting administrators fine-tune their policies with far greater precision.
“This release is about providing more choice and control,” said Matthew Burg, Principal Product Manager at Lightspeed Systems. “Schools no longer have to block entire websites just to avoid harmful visuals. With image blurring, they can preserve access while minimizing risk, giving IT teams the flexibility to support instruction without compromising safety.”
Key Benefits of Lightspeed Filter’s Image Blurring
- No Added Cost: The feature is included at no extra charge for all Lightspeed Filter customers.
- Layered Protection: Category rules are applied first, and images are blurred before they load—unlike other solutions that only blur after display.
- Policy-Aware Flexibility: Administrators can configure blurring by content category and set sensitivity levels (Relaxed, Normal, Strict) to align with district policies.
- Privacy by Design: All scanning is performed locally; student data remains private and is never sent to external servers.
- Optimized Performance: The system prioritizes visible images for blurring, ensuring a smooth browsing experience for both students and teachers.
Leading the Way in AI-Powered Student Safety
Lightspeed Filter has long been the trusted standard for K–12 web filtering, supporting some of the largest school districts around the world. Now, with the addition of image blurring, Lightspeed is doubling down on its mission to deliver cutting-edge, AI-driven solutions that help schools stay ahead of new digital risks.
Backed by over 25 years of innovation in student online safety, Lightspeed’s latest release is a testament to their commitment to safe access to online learning. Schools can now empower their students with the resources they need without compromising on safety or privacy.
For more information on Lightspeed Filter and its new image blurring feature, visit Lightspeed Systems.
