The internet has an equal share of brilliant and destructive resources. While you cannot possibly shun the influence of the internet on your kids, you can definitely control their access to the various resources. This post will help you implement such controls on iPhone and iPad. This could also be helpful for adults struggling with attention-span issues.
It has been a while since Apple has introduced the ScreenTime feature that allows you to control your kid’s access to the phone. You can create downtimes, restrict certain websites, and allow specific sites using this feature. This post will discuss how exactly you can use this feature to prevent your kids from accessing harmful resources on the internet, getting distracted too often, or building bad habits.
That being said, these steps are not meant for the kids alone. As adults, we also give in to bad habits – we stall while working, procrastinate, or end up spending too much time on adult websites. Not to mention the cyber threats – malware, phishing schemes, ransomware attacks – you may be subject to while surfing around shady adult websites.
How to block adult content?
If you use an Apple iPhone or iPod and you want to block the access to adult content, you are in luck because Apple has an inbuilt feature to help you to do that. Let’s learn how you can do it.
Open the device Settings. You will see a tab called Screen Time. Tap on it and select Content & Privacy Restrictions. Toggle the option on, and you will see a drop down menu. Select the Content Restrictions option from there. Then, select Web Content. You will see an option – Limit Adult Websites. Tap on that to get the tick mark beside the option.
You have successfully restricted access to adult content. That means Safari will automatically block websites that contain adult content.
Note: While Safari can block adult websites, it cannot block sites that might have hidden adult material or feature violence. That is to say that it is not a fool proof solution.
Also Read – 5 Safari Browser Alternatives for iOS and iPadOS
How to block specific websites
If you want, you can restrict access to specific websites using the Screentime feature on iPhones and iPads. This allows you to block as many websites that you want. This feature lets you restrict access to social media sites as well. Here’s how to do it.
Go to Device Settings => Select Screentime => Content and Privacy Restrictions => Content Restrictions => Web Content.
There, you’ll see the option to Never Allow websites. Click on Add Website. You’ll see an input field. Enter the URL for the website you want to block. You can add as many websites as you wish using the same steps.
You can get the URLs of the websites from your Safari address bar.
Only allow specific sites
If you are feeling overly concerned about your kid’s browsing habits you can bind their access to only the websites that you want them to access. That means Safari will block every website other than the ones you add. Here’s how to do it.
Device settings => Content & Privacy Restrictions => Content Restrictions => Web Content
Click on the option Allowed Websites Only. Add the URLs for the websites you want your kids to have access to. Once you hit Done, Safari will block all sites except the ones added.
Remember, this is kind of an overkill step, so make sure you are generous about allowing the sites. Make sure they have access to the harmless sites they like to visit.
Conclusion
These features can be very helpful when it comes to managing and controlling your children’s exposure to the internet. Share this information with your loved ones. Let us all browse safely.
