Solution for Blocking Social Media Sites at Home on iPads

[jparry1]

We've recently been contacted by a parent asking if there is a simple way to block sites at home, just like they're blocked by our filtering system at the school.

 

Of course, our iPads are in an MDM, Jamf specifically, and I've had a quick look but couldn't see any way of blacklisting sites through there (if anyone could prove me wrong that would be brilliant).

 

Does anyone have a solution to this query? This would of course be helpful for the school, but we can't think of an easy way to get this implemented, other than giving parents guidance on individual home network providers.

 

Any help at all is welcome.

 

Thank you

[PotNoodleTech]

Various systems can do this from third party systems the school can buy like impero (others available) to the existing filtering software your LEA runs such as smoothwall (others available).

 

It's usually done via an app or extension installed on the device.

 

Its not cheap usually so be prepared for multi thousand pound bill per year.

[Dan2025]

We've recently been contacted by a parent asking if there is a simple way to block sites at home, just like they're blocked by our filtering system at the school.

 

Of course, our iPads are in an MDM, Jamf specifically, and I've had a quick look but couldn't see any way of blacklisting sites through there (if anyone could prove me wrong that would be brilliant).

 

Does anyone have a solution to this query? This would of course be helpful for the school, but we can't think of an easy way to get this implemented, other than giving parents guidance on individual home network providers.

 

Any help at all is welcome.

 

Thank you

 

 

There is a Webfilter option near the bottom on profile options, only works on supervised devices. I've not used it before though.

Edited April 9, 2024 by Danwinchelsea

[2ilent8cho]

You can get a JAMF filtering add-on https://www.jamf.com/solutions/content-filtering/ or other 3rd Parties like Lightspeed. The built in Apple filters will only do adult sites and sites you specify. So likely going to have to spend £££ on a a plug-in filter. Edited April 9, 2024 by 2ilent8cho

[Alex0x7F]

I use Lightspeed MDM for managing our iPads, it has a blacklist URL option under policies > web content filter.

I don't have a use this really, if there are any sites getting through our Smoothwall filtering, they can be quickly added to 'custom blocked content'. and reported to the LA supplying the Smoothwall.

 

Your question also seems to read to me as if it's a parent looking to lock down their own kid's iPad at home. (that's not tied in to any MDM etc.)

if so then Kidslox is a very user friendly way to restrict websites, apps, screen time etc. This is what I recommend to non-tech savvy friends & family.

 

Hope that helps.

[Brimstone]

We've recently been contacted by a parent asking if there is a simple way to block sites at home, just like they're blocked by our filtering system at the school.

 

Of course, our iPads are in an MDM, Jamf specifically, and I've had a quick look but couldn't see any way of blacklisting sites through there (if anyone could prove me wrong that would be brilliant).

 

Does anyone have a solution to this query? This would of course be helpful for the school, but we can't think of an easy way to get this implemented, other than giving parents guidance on individual home network providers.

 

Any help at all is welcome.

 

Thank you

If you use Jamf School then yes they have a perfect solution for your parents...

 

Jamf Parent - This app can be used on either an iOS or Android phone and does what is says on the tin, it can block access to internet, add restrictions and block apps at certain times specified by the school and it is free of charge....

 

I have plenty of 1:1 iPad schools successfully using this... https://learn.jamf.com/en-US/bundle/jamf-parent-guide-for-parents/page/Getting_Started_with_Jamf_Parent.html

Edited April 9, 2024 by Brimstone