How can I block an apps ability to access the internet? Most have some type of built-in browser for posting on FB or Twitter that still works with safari disabled

Emunahtov,

Thank you thank you!!!! My son has an addiction and this loophole created problems for him and he didn't want it anymore so we got rid of the iphone and avoided them ever since. If what you say is true, then he can get an iphone again and have imessage and everything. Thank you so much!! We never found a solution for this back then (2011) and just started searching again because having a non-smart phone can be very annoying.

You can not restrict individual apps from accessing the Internet. If you really want to lock it down, then restrict the ability to install apps and don't allow them on the phone unless you've reviewed and approved them first.

Other than blocking the Internet in your WiFi router, no, and of course that won't work elsewhere. All you can do is restrict the ability to install new apps (including turning off in-app purchases) and then carefully select the apps you allow onto the iPhone.

After a while it becomes rather futile, though, since there are many other ways a child in daily life can get access to material you may not want them to see.

Regards.

As I recall if you go into Settings under General there is a panel called Restrictions where you can set certain functions of the iPhone on or off.

Use OpenDNS. It's free:

Flexible parental controls that protect every Internet-connected device in your home, instantly

When you set up OpenDNS Basic on your router, your settings take effect across everything on your home network. In addition to computers, this includes your kids' Xbox, Playstation, Wii, DS, iPad, and even their iPhone. Learn more

THANK YOU for asking this question. I know it's been a year and a half, but I have not been able to find ANY information, nor even discussion, on the topic. It seems strange to me that Apple has not found a solution to this, and more strange still that no third party has created a fix. There are so many companies creating parental control solutions and other protections, but it's all moot if a child can access the internet through half of the apps on his device and without any restrictions whatsoever! I understand that one solution is simply to only allow apps that have no internet access, but frankly, most do, and sometimes that access is not readily noticeable (like through the 'about' feature on so many apps via some link to the web at the bottom of a long, wordy document). Even spy software does not track this access (at least as I understand it). For the budding programmers out there, this seems to be a great potential money-maker!

Its just a policy matter from apple.

They dont want it to happen..

If i can restrict an application from using cellular data and limit it to only wifi data then ofcourse it would be very easy to restrict the app from completely accessing data..

It just a matter of policy and the day apple think it would be good to have this option we will have it, till then let wish apple realises the importance of this option.

Vikas

vikaspell wrote:

...If i can restrict an application from using cellular data and limit it to only wifi data then ofcourse it would be very easy to restrict the app from completely accessing data..

It just a matter of policy and the day apple think it would be good to have this option we will have it, till then let wish apple realises the importance of this option.

Vikas

Um... you can. Settings>Cellular. Turn off cellular data access for any app you want.

Yes i know that is what i am saying that there is application level filtering already been done by IOS.

If i am able to block the application from using cellular data then why am i not ablw to block the app from using wifi data........ it is very easy to stop the application from it to access wifi data as well.

but apple should want to allow us to do that.

i hope apple will add it in future updates

Because it's a smart phone... it's designed to be constantly connected to the Internet.

There is no problem for the phone to be constantly connect and accessing the internet.

I would love to have the liberty to block certain applications of my choice from accessing the internet

For example i dont want a game application like subway surf telling me that there is a new shirt my player can wear.... i am happy with the basic application that was there when ever it was downloaded...

I prefer to make that choice myself . if i want to app to access the net i leave it if i dont want it i block it but that choice should be mine.

thats my view... anyone else does not have to agree with me

I would love to have the liberty to block certain applications of my choice from accessing the internet

For example i dont want a game application like subway surf telling me that there is a new shirt my player can wear.... i am happy with the basic application that was there when ever it was downloaded...

The ability for users to restrict an app's ability to access the Internet is a decision left to the app's developer. Presumably, if an app requires an Internet connection to function that choice would not be a logical one to implement. On the other hand if the app developer decides an Internet connection is optional, the choice is easily implemented in Settings.

In the case of free games such as Subway Surfers, nearly all of them rely upon in-app purchases to generate the revenue required for their development and support. In such cases the developer will not be interested in limiting that revenue source. Users with no money to spend do not comprise a successful business plan.

Thank you for asking this question!

What's the point of turning off Safari if it's so easy to access the in-app browsers.

It makes 80% of the apps I have on my phone pointless with parental controls.

It's gotten to the point where I want to drop Apple altogether and try android. Maybe they are not setup this way??

Simple. Took me 2 years to notice this.

1. Settings, Restrictions, set a Passcode, uncheck Safari (and possibly Installing Apps, see Notes below)

2. In same screen scroll down to Websites and set to "Specific Websites Only". Gives you a starter list of benign websites, or delete all of them.

Done! Now when a link is clicked inside of any app, it generates this error:

"You cannot browse this page at ________ because it is restricted," followed by a link titled "Allow Website".

At that point whoever has the passcode can "Allow" the site -- or not.

Notes:

- You can now leave Safari enabled, actually: it can only go to allowed sites.

- Ditto for a third party "browser app" or browsers inside of apps.

- May need to restrict Installing Apps; installable apps for surfing bad sites might be able to bypass these restrictions (haven't tested).

- If leaving iTunes enabled, check the other settings in "Allowed Content".

Let me know if there are flaws in this strategy! Cheers.

I don't believe this is correct. See my reply dated today 7/25/2015.