Net Nanny was created and started by Gordon Ross in 1993 in Vancouver and moved to Bellevue, Washington in 2000. He became inspired to create a parental control service after viewing a sting operation on a pedophile soliciting a child online. In 1998, the company launched BioPassword, a bio metric security access system based on technology it acquired from Stanford University. On November 14, 2002, Net Nanny filed for bankruptcy and was sold to BioNet Systems, LLC, a maker of bio metric security software in Issaquah, Washington. LookSmart Ltd, a commercial web search company based in San Francisco acquired Net Nanny for $5.3 million in stock and cash in April 2004.