Cleveland native offers special service to Internet users

BY ROBERT MCFARLAND, JR.

The Internet is one of today’s hottest topics and a Cleveland native formerly involved in a successful cellular phone business is now taking on the Internet and all of it’s negative content.

J. Stacy Davidson, along with partner Skip Mathews has started Integrity Online, a filtered Internet service provider based in Jackson. Integrity Online is a full-service Internet service provider that filters the Internet for negative and destructive content before it reaches your home or business.

"The term ‘filtered’ is the key word," says Carroll Blackledge, president of Integrity Online. "While there are many companies that provide Internet service very few, if any, provide filtering protection from pornography and other negative content on the Internet. our focus is on providing families, schools, churches and businesses with a safe and simple solution for Internet access. And, based on the response we are seeing, there many people out there who want this type of Internet service."

"Integrity Online utilizes server-based technology," says Blackledge. "This means that the filtering cannot be bypassed or turned off. And, the filtering database is updated daily in order to provide our subscribers with the most up-to-date information possible."

Started in December of 1998, Integrity Online (of Mississippi) is a franchise of Integrity Online International. Prior to his involvement in Integrity Online, Davidson had

been involved in the cellular business and after selling that business began looking for additional business opportunities that would co-exist with his desire looking for additional business opportunities that would co-exist with his desire to own a technically oriented, community service type company. Integrity Online has provided just such an opportunity.

"Because of the ever-growing negative content of the Internet, I foresee a day when filtered Internet access will be the rule rather than the exception," says Blackledge. "As people become educated about the amount of undesirable content on the Internet, more and more will want to block this from their computer. Most people would not want to leave a pornographic magazine on their coffee table where anyone could look through it at will - and this is exactly what is happening with the Internet at the moment."