Is there an easy way to block YouTube for just one child?
Discussion
Evening all,
We're having something of an issue with our middle offspring and some of the stuff he watches on YouTube, so I want to be able to ban him for a period of time if he watches any of the stuff he shouldn't be watching until he gets the message.
Problem is, I don't want to remove his access to the web completely, and I also don't want to block YouTube at a household level, as it's a pain in the arse for me and my wife, and unfair on his siblings.
I can block access on his phone with parental control software, but is there an easy way to block access on the laptop just for his login?
We're having something of an issue with our middle offspring and some of the stuff he watches on YouTube, so I want to be able to ban him for a period of time if he watches any of the stuff he shouldn't be watching until he gets the message.
Problem is, I don't want to remove his access to the web completely, and I also don't want to block YouTube at a household level, as it's a pain in the arse for me and my wife, and unfair on his siblings.
I can block access on his phone with parental control software, but is there an easy way to block access on the laptop just for his login?
Take away the laptop. Smash it into a million little bits. Let him save up to buy a new one.
Job.
Yes there are technical ways to achieve what you have asked about. Install a UTM instead of a crappy broadband router. SOPHOS sell them. Good luck with that unless you work in IT. You can then take the MAC address of his devices and limit access to whatever you desire. I doubt that was helpful. If it was then go for it.
Job.
Yes there are technical ways to achieve what you have asked about. Install a UTM instead of a crappy broadband router. SOPHOS sell them. Good luck with that unless you work in IT. You can then take the MAC address of his devices and limit access to whatever you desire. I doubt that was helpful. If it was then go for it.
Edited by Don on Saturday 24th September 22:11
GrumpyTwig said:
Kermit power said:
remove his access to the web completely
Kermit power said:
until he gets the message.
The answer is right in front of you.I'm all for technical solutions, but simplicity outweighs all imo
Assert your authority and take it away completely.
Kermit power said:
Problem is, I don't want to remove his access to the web completely, and I also don't want to block YouTube at a household level, as it's a pain in the arse for me and my wife, and unfair on his siblings.
The most effective punishment I remember when I was a kid was when it impacted everybody because then you got them being upset with you too. After the 10th time of "well I would go onto youtube but I can't because someone got it blocked for everyone" he'll feel suitably crap with himself.Run Notepad as administrator
Click File - Open - C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Make an entry as the end of the file like this:
1.1.1.1 www.youtube.com
Save file
Job done.
Click File - Open - C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Make an entry as the end of the file like this:
1.1.1.1 www.youtube.com
Save file
Job done.
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
Run Notepad as administrator
Click File - Open - C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Make an entry as the end of the file like this:
1.1.1.1 www.youtube.com
Save file
Job done.
They then do an nslookup of a youtube server and use the ip address directly, only a small amount of knowledge needed to foil that scheme.Click File - Open - C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Make an entry as the end of the file like this:
1.1.1.1 www.youtube.com
Save file
Job done.
cb31 said:
They then do an nslookup of a youtube server and use the ip address directly, only a small amount of knowledge needed to foil that scheme.
only if they know what you have done.Tell the child you have blocked it on the router and they will spend their time barking up the wrong tree.
Don said:
Take away the laptop. Smash it into a million little bits. Let him save up to buy a new one.
A friend of mine did that. His son called the police, who were unfortunately obliged to arrest him for criminal damage or similar based on his own confession. He was the one who had paid for the laptop, and would doubtless pay for the replacement when he'd calmed down in the absense of police involvement.I'm very careful not to give laptops to my children, but instead to purchase laptops which they can use (even before I heard my friend's tale of woe).
For those saying "block him from the Internet completely", you're missing the point.
There's plenty of perfectly constructive stuff he does on there which I'm perfectly happy for him to do. It's only YouTube that is the problem.
As an analogy, I want to withhold pudding for a week if he won't eat his vegetables, but people are suggesting I withhold all food for a week!
There's plenty of perfectly constructive stuff he does on there which I'm perfectly happy for him to do. It's only YouTube that is the problem.
As an analogy, I want to withhold pudding for a week if he won't eat his vegetables, but people are suggesting I withhold all food for a week!
Kermit power said:
For those saying "block him from the Internet completely", you're missing the point.
There's plenty of perfectly constructive stuff he does on there which I'm perfectly happy for him to do. It's only YouTube that is the problem.
As an analogy, I want to withhold pudding for a week if he won't eat his vegetables, but people are suggesting I withhold all food for a week!
What can he find on YouTube that he can't find worse of elsewhere anyway?There's plenty of perfectly constructive stuff he does on there which I'm perfectly happy for him to do. It's only YouTube that is the problem.
As an analogy, I want to withhold pudding for a week if he won't eat his vegetables, but people are suggesting I withhold all food for a week!
Block all internet unless he respects your instructions (like grown ups do at work...) and speak to him about why those instructions are important/should be respected.
Either s
t or get off the pot. Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
Run Notepad as administrator
Click File - Open - C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Make an entry as the end of the file like this:
1.1.1.1 www.youtube.com
Save file
Job done.
this. Say you've blocked it on the router and If you catch them trying a work round you will remove all internet access.Click File - Open - C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Make an entry as the end of the file like this:
1.1.1.1 www.youtube.com
Save file
Job done.
Edit to say: you could have that chat around trust. You've removed access until he can show you that he can be trusted again. Want to treat him like an adult but he's not been acting like one etc
andy_s said:
What can he find on YouTube that he can't find worse of elsewhere anyway?
Block all internet unless he respects your instructions (like grown ups do at work...) and speak to him about why those instructions are important/should be respected.
Either st or get off the pot.
Agree with this. It's only Youtube because that's an easy website to get to. Blocking just that one will make him wander off the path, where he may stumble into more...niche websites.Block all internet unless he respects your instructions (like grown ups do at work...) and speak to him about why those instructions are important/should be respected.
Either s
t or get off the pot. Stop him from using the internet (by removing devices) for anything apart from schoolwork, and supervise him when he's doing that.
You could look at something like K9 http://www1.k9webprotection.com/
It might also be worth using something a little "in your face" so he knows he's being monitored.
It might also be worth using something a little "in your face" so he knows he's being monitored.
Kermit power said:
For those saying "block him from the Internet completely", you're missing the point.
There's plenty of perfectly constructive stuff he does on there which I'm perfectly happy for him to do. It's only YouTube that is the problem.
As an analogy, I want to withhold pudding for a week if he won't eat his vegetables, but people are suggesting I withhold all food for a week!
Food is a necessity where as pudding and the internet are a privilege surely? There's plenty of perfectly constructive stuff he does on there which I'm perfectly happy for him to do. It's only YouTube that is the problem.
As an analogy, I want to withhold pudding for a week if he won't eat his vegetables, but people are suggesting I withhold all food for a week!
SystemParanoia said:
do you think we my be over estimating the childs abilities ?
To use ask Google/a sibling/friend? It would probably work today but it's a war of attrition that a non-technical parent will likely lose eventually and find themselves having to ask their children for internet access. At least, that was how it worked when I was a child.I think the non-technical routes are better.
https://www.proxysite.com/youtube/
Took 2 seconds of Googling. There's no doubt many more around.
Blocking URLs / hosts file additions is a terribly lo-fi and ineffectual solution. A better bet would be to set up some kind of filter/proxy that everyone is forced to go through and then lock down the respective devices so people don't have admin privs etc to change it.
https://www.opendns.com/home-internet-security/ for example
Took 2 seconds of Googling. There's no doubt many more around.
Blocking URLs / hosts file additions is a terribly lo-fi and ineffectual solution. A better bet would be to set up some kind of filter/proxy that everyone is forced to go through and then lock down the respective devices so people don't have admin privs etc to change it.
https://www.opendns.com/home-internet-security/ for example
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff