Adult websites are called “adult” for a reason; sometimes, the content is inappropriate for children who might utilize your web browser, or is unwanted in general! Unfortunately, ads and misleading links can make avoiding these sites very difficult.
Luckily, it is possible to navigate these digital tripwires and block adult websites permanently! We’ll present you with the best hacks for accomplishing this goal as we continue.
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The Need For a Secure Digital Environment
As dazzlingly useful and abundant in benefits as the Internet is, it was certainly not created with the safety of a growing mind as a top priority. Children, in particular, can easily find just about any kind of content with only a quick Internet search and the press of a button.
This can be content that is silly, but it can also include content that is uniquely adult in nature, which could prove harmful. Children are able to interact with complete strangers online, or interact with peers on an unmonitored basis, which creates the perfect environment for cyber-bullying.
Online predators are often ready and waiting for the insecurities of a digital environment to allow an unsuspecting user to come into contact with them. Adult content can effect the growth of a child’s brain, but it can also jeopardize the relationships of grown adults.
The list of dangers is potentially endless. However, as we’ll see below, there is a way to permanently block adult content.
Step-By-Step Guide to Blocking Adult Content
There are several methods that can be used to block adult content from a phone; however, there are only a few which can be crafted to stand permanently in the way of ever-evolving adult content. These are listed below, along with some tips on how to use them!
How to Use a Parental Control App
A parental control app is a third-party service that is specifically designed to hold back any content associated with certain keywords, or even content in categories such as photos or videos. It also allows the parent, or caretaker, to monitor what kind of content a child or family member is coming into contact with on their phone.
This adds in greater control over the digital environment. Adult content can be filtered out in a very specific way thanks to the keyword utilization, and because parental control apps also allow a parent to see what a child is doing on their phone even when they’re not in the room, new adult content threats can be quickly adjusted to.
Here’s how to use these apps:
- Select the App that Works For You – There are many family apps that are meant to block and monitor phone content activity. A few notable ones include FamilyOrbit, Bark, and Mobile Spy. Some of these services are only available on certain devices, or offer more features than others, so pick the one that works best for your phone needs.
- Sign Up – Many apps will require you to sign up, creating an account that includes some personal data and information on the device you’ll be using and monitoring.
- Install the App – Usually, parental control apps must be installed on the target phone as well as on the phone you’ll be using to block and monitor content.
- Use Parental Controls to Block Websites – Almost all Parental Control apps, such as mSpy, have a panel or dashboard with an option to create a list of websites that you want blocked from the target phone. All it takes is entering the URL to ban that website from ever being accessed or forcing it’s way onto the target phone.
- Use Parental Controls to Block Categories – Bark and other more strict parental control apps can actually select all known examples of certain categories of content for you, so that none slip past your digital filter. All you need to do is navigate to their categories and single out adult content, and the app will create a wide net to block them out.
How to Utilize Screentime to Block Adult Content on iPhones
iOS actually has a feature called “Screen Time” which can be manipulated to act as a block for adult content on any iPhone. Here’s how to use the screen-use-monitoring function for that purpose:
- Open the Settings App
- Select “Screen Time” at the Bottom of the Page
- Set it Up if Not Already Prepared
- Tap “Content & Privacy” Restrictions
- Select “Content Restrictions”
- In “Web Content,” click “Limit Adult Websites.”
- Select “Add Website” and enter the URL of any adult website you particularly want to make sure is blocked.
How to Use SafeSearch for Android
If you don’t have an iOS device, but instead use an Android, the SafeSearch option was created to help you block adult content.
- Open Web Browser of Choice
- Navigate to Google Search
- Click “Settings” at the Bottom of the Page and navigate to ‘Search settings’
- Select “Safe Search Filters” and toggle it on
- Remember to “Save” at the bottom of this page
Ensuring Permanent Filters and Restrictions
Remember, some of these features are long-lasting, but are not completely permanent. For example, “SafeSearch” on an Android phone is only available to be modified if the user is under age 13. If they are older than this, you’ll need access to their actual device to enable these settings; even then, the user may be able to turn them off.
For true permanent restrictions, third party apps are the best way to go. They can only be removed or altered by the specific password of the app controller or parent, making them more secure.
The Importance of Parental Monitoring
Parental monitoring may, at first glance, seem like an invasion of a child’s privacy or a breach of trust. However, the truth is, the internet is simply not an environment that comes ready-made for the mind of a child, which is naturally absorbing every bit of content it comes into contact with at a speedy rate.
Additionally, a child’s impulse control takes a long time to develop, and they may make unsafe decisions without even realizing it if left to the enormity and complexity of the internet without monitoring.
Just like a parent wouldn’t let a child run free through a busy parking lot without watching them, a parent can best protect their child by watching their internet use and using parental monitoring apps to block adult content that could be harmful.
Conclusion
To sum everything that we’ve taken a look at up, the need for a secure digital environment is crucial, especially when it comes to adult content’s accessibility to underage individuals. The Internet is certainly a minefield of misleading directives and content that may seem unavoidable.
However, as we’ve seen, there are ways to not only block adult websites from one’s phone, but to block them permanently! We discovered that Screentime on iOS devices is a great way to block adult content, while SafeSearch can accomplish the same purpose if you have an Android. For any phone device, Parental Control Apps can offer even more content regulation.
As long as the restrictions and filters put into place are set for permanence, the digital environment can become that much more secure on one’s phone. The next generation is counting on their caretakers to keep them safe from adult content and all the hazards of the digital world; with the above methods, that mission can be accomplished!