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iOS Parental Controls (Mobile)
- Company
- Apple Inc.
- Version
- 7.0.4
- Devices supported
- Mobile
- Operating system
- iOS
- Price *
- free of charge
- Language of interface
- chinese, czech, danish, dutch, english, french, german, greek, hebrew, italian, japanese, korean, norwegian, polish, portuguese, romanian, russian, slovanian, spanish, suomi, swedish, turkish
- Test date
- SIP Bench III, 2nd test cycle, Winter 13/14
EFFECTIVENESS
The overall effectiveness score is fair on adult content and very weak on other harmful content.
There is no major difference in effectiveness between teenagers and children.
There is no major difference in effectiveness between web and web 2.0.
There is no major difference in effectiveness among the different languages.
There is no major difference in effectiveness between teenagers and children.
There is no major difference in effectiveness between web and web 2.0.
There is no major difference in effectiveness among the different languages.
Effectiveness score with adult content filtering for users up to 12 year old: 2.8
Effectiveness score with other harmful content filtering for users up to 12 year old: 0.0
Effectiveness score with adult content filtering for users 13 years and older: 2.6
Effectiveness score with other harmful content filtering for users 13 years and older: 0.0
Effectiveness score with other harmful content filtering for users up to 12 year old: 0.0
Effectiveness score with adult content filtering for users 13 years and older: 2.6
Effectiveness score with other harmful content filtering for users 13 years and older: 0.0
Effectiveness score for users up to 12 year old: 1.4 out of 4 points
Effectiveness score for users 13 years and older: 1.3 out of 4 points
Effectiveness score for users 13 years and older: 1.3 out of 4 points
USABILITY
Installation of the tool: iOS Parental Controls is part of the operation system. Therefore the installation process was not tested with regard to usability.
Configuration of the tool: It is easy to limit the access to some apps and even filter them to different ages. But the software offers unusual options that confuse the user. Especially there is no hint that basic parental control features as web filtering (based on different content criteria or age) are not supported.
Usage of the tool: Deactivated browser functions leads to disappearing of the Safari icon. The alert message is functional and offers the possibility to allow the selected website.
Usability of the installation process: n/a
Usability of the configuration process: 3.0
Usability of the usage of the product: 1.3
Overall score for usability: 2.4 out of 4 points
FUNCTIONALITY
The iPhone/iPad is provided with an embedded parental control tool that allows blocking action of some apps. It enables the PARENT to block e.g. Safari browser or iTunes application. There is now also a build in web-filter! iOS' parental control tool can also limit the use of films or other non www-based content as well as in-app-purchases.
SECURITY
The low rate results from the possibility for the user to reach a blocked website through translation sites
Overall score for security: 1 out of 4 points
DETAILED FUNCTIONALITY
| Area of need | Functionality | Specific issues | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | Management of User profiles | Create several profiles | No |
| Remote Management | Manage on various devices | No | |
| Monitoring | Remote access to monitoring | No | |
| Filtering Customisation | Topics | Customisation of Filtering Topics | Yes |
| URLs White List | Restrict Browsing to White List | Yes | |
| Default White List | Yes | ||
| Modification OR Creation | Yes | ||
| URLs Black List | Creation of User's own Black List | Yes | |
| Keywords | Keywords | Default Black List | No |
| Default White List | No | ||
| Creation of a User's Black List | No | ||
| Creation of a User's White List | No | ||
| Time | Time Limit Settings | Set a specific time frame or web access duration | No |
| Blocking Message | Type | Ask for unblocking by parents | No |
| Redirect to safe resources | No | ||
| Usage Restriction | Web | Block Access | Yes |
| Monitor Access | No | ||
| Safe search | Availability | No | |
| Social Networks | Block Access | Yes | |
| Monitor Usage | No | ||
| Personal data Provision | Block | No | |
| Streaming | Block Access | No | |
| Monitor Access | No | ||
| P2P | Block the application | No | |
| Monitor Downloads | No | ||
| Skype | Block chat | Yes | |
| Block video chat | Yes | ||
| Monitor | No | ||
| Prevent new Contact | No | ||
| Windows Life Messenger | Block chat | No | |
| Block video chat | No | ||
| Monitor | No | ||
| Prevent new Contact | No | ||
| Block email client and/or webmail access | Yes |
DETAILED USABILITY FINDINGS
| Yes / No | |
|---|---|
| I: installation in 3 steps or less | Yes |
| I: choice of installation for beginners or advanced users | n/a |
| C: different degrees of strength for the filtering | Yes |
| C: different content criteria for the filtering | No |
| C: option to transfer filter configurations between target users | n/a |
| C: option to transfer filter configurations between devices | No |
| C: overall comprehensible configuration | Yes |
| C: overall conformity with user expectations | Yes |
| C: overall easy to learn | Yes |
| U: alert message in a child friendly language | No |
| U: option to customise the reaction in case of blocking | No |
| U: overall easily operable and comprehensible reporting | n/a |
DETAILED SECURITY FINDINGS
| The Tool prevents the user from by-passing the filter by: | Yes / No |
|---|---|
| Using the IP address instead of the URL | Yes |
| Using an alternative browser | n/a |
| Changing time and date settings* | n/a |
| Disabling or uninstalling the software without a password* | Yes |
| Closing the filtering tool trough the Task Manager | n/a |
| Using a proxy instead of a direct connection to the Internet | Yes |
| Accessing the web-pages through the Google Cache | Yes |
| Reaching a website through translation sites | No |
| Renaming a blocked application | n/a |
| Using Safe Mode | n/a |
| Filtering Content personalised by user | No |
| Filtering Content evolving through time | No |
| Filtering Multimedia content | No |
| Filtering outbound content | No |
