Can I password protect the internet?

I don't think so 😟
Not so far at least.

Maybe in the future Apple will think about it (they are too busy thinking about the environment, at this moment)

The iPod Touch don't provide any kind of "sentinel" or protection against adult-related contents for under 18 people.

Perhaps after the release of the SDK, someone else will work on that.

Have a look at OpenDNS which allows all kinds of customisable internet blocking shenanigans at the router level.

http://www.opendns.com/

I think she wants to avoid his son browsing unsafe pages from everywhere, not just from her router.

If his son connect from a free hotspot, she can't block adult rating pages.

There are currently no Safari settings to do what you want to do. You also cannot delete the Safari icon from the home screen. Please send feedback to Apple:
http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipodtouch.html

@ Concerned_Mother

To create an additional home screen, you need to have firmware 1.1.3 installed along with the January Applications upgrade. 'Hiding' the Safari link on another screen is not really a solution...it's quite easy to just 'flick' over to the next screen and access it. It may be a temporary solution though in your case...until your 11 year old figures it out (that probably won't be long).

@ Concerned_Mother

No, there is no way to tell the touch to avoid a second screen or how many screens there are. All you have to do is "flick" it over to the next screen. There is also an on-screen indicator (small dots above the dock: no dots is one screen, two dots are two screens, etc) of how many screens are available.

The 1.1.3 firmware update is free. You need to download iTunes 7.6 prior to installing the update.

The up grade (January Apps Upgrade) is $20 and requires iTunes 7.6 along with the free firmware 1.1.3 update installed prior to upgrading.

If you're really this worried about it, you might take the touch back & get an iPod without wifi capabilities instead.

There are some (let's say unconventional) ways to hide safari and youtube icons or remove both applications, but I don't know if I'm allowed to talk about that on this forum 😟

However, even hiding the icons, if your son is clever enough, he can find how to unhide them.

Are you concerned about your son having any access to the internet, or just certain sites?

Is it not possible to set him some internet usage 'rules' and then trust him to abide by them, or he risks having the iPod touch taken away from him?

For what it's worth, you may win the award for the best thread title in a while.... I'm not trying to make fun of you, I just liked the image of trying to password the entire Internet!

I really don't think there's a way to do what you want. Yet. Apple will open up the platform in February. Perhaps someone will come up with something.

Best of luck.