A Question About Apple OS

[PCH]

Hi All, especially Apple experts -

I've caught my daughter using disppointing language on FB, and would like to disable the program on her 'school supplied' Macbook if at all possible.

Can anyone say if it is possible, and if so how to do it?

All replies gratefully received.

Cheers :thumbsup:

[Octane]

As it's a web site, you will need to look at blocking it on the router.

There are ways you can disable spacebook by manually editing the hosts file. In order to do this, you will need the administrator password.

If it's a school laptop, you probably won't have much luck. You might need to request the IT guys at the school to disable spacebook on her Mac.

H

[PCH]

Hi H,
thanks for that suggestion. Let's see how far I get with it :thumbsup:

[Poita]

You may find this helpful too:
http://osxdaily.com/2010/11/21/block-facebook/

[Omaroo]

You actually need to do more than that. You first need to enable the root user via the Directory Utility as is is disabled by default in OSX. If it hasn't already been done by the school, and you have an admin level login then a super user can be still be enabled. Once done, you use the terminal and Pico to edit the /etc/hosts file... I.e. #: sudo icon/etc/hosts as long as you know how to use a line editor.

If it can be done on the router it's probably easier.

[rally]

Paul,

I am not sure that blocking it on the home router will be solution.

Internet access is available everywhere and the methods that can be used to gain access to FB are considerable.

All she needs to do is to log into any friends home network or tether into a bluetooth enabled phone of her friends to log in elsewhere rather than do it at home.
Cafes, Hungry Jacks etc etc all provide free internet services to their customers.

Being able to block all of Facebooks IP addresses on the computer will help, but then all she needs to do is log in via a thin client to her friends computer across the net (any friend at any number of IP addresses !) and log into her FB account via their computer.

Then there is a plethora of Web Proxy sites that do it all for you via browser access.

You would need to remove all web browsers and programs with web browsing capability to do that - is that going to be possible or even work ?
She could just install them again or run another one off a USB stick bought at Officeworks or Coles for $4!

Depending on where she is (including school) they probably haven't blocked HTTPS - secure browsing so she can get to FB in that way - Facebook provided this recently.

Failing that she can ping Facebook and get a local IP address and log into that with her browser - eg instead of using www.facebook.com, she doesn't use that - Facebook has many IP addresses - you may not be able to block all of them.
I get 66.220.149.11 when I ping facebook from the DNS server - that may or may not work.

Next step is get her own phone and log in using that.
Use her friends computer or mobile phone and use that etc etc

Failing that, she gets everything remailed or twittered etc etc and communicate with people that way or even use a girlfriend as a proxy

Its not a matter that she doesnt have the technical expertise to do it - she only needs to look it up from any of the 156,789,643 (and counting kids) who use it and want to make sure they all can continue to use it !
They will find 10 different ways and publish how to do it in three easy steps that any fool can emulate.

What I am really trying to say is that I dont think you will be able to successfully modify your daughter's behaviour, by trying to restrict her access, the problem is more complicated than that.

You could try threatening to restrict access if her behaviour doesnt improve though - that might work.

Or maybe change the basis of other privileges being granted if FB behaviour doesnt improve.

Prohibition doesnt always work and in this case I cannot see how you practically implement it unless she is reasonable and honest with you.

Hope it works out for you.

Cheers

Rally

[2stroke]

What happens when she logs onto a school computer? Raise your child right and punish her, no tv / internet for a week :) even just loosing net access at home for a week will make her never do it again :)

[Octane]

Yeah, I suggest disowning the child would be easier. :P

H

[Omaroo]

Paul - the /etc/hosts file is still your best bet. You can block the entire domain from her - irrespective of what IP addresses they may or may not use. Without the root password she can't reverse it.

By the addition of the line:

127.0.0.1 www.facebook.com

one line up from the bottom of the file (above 255.255.255.....). This does do the trick.

If you need to, give me a call. PM me and I'll give you my number and take you through it. :hi:

[rally]

Chris,

That will work OK although he may need to use nano (I think OSX lost pico a few versions ago !)

But that only prevents the laptop's browsers in normal use from accessing FB directly

If Paul's daughter tries the www.Securitales.com proxy or some of the others - its designed to get around this and it will do it seamlessly.
Try the 10 minute trial - it even defaults to Facebook's entry page immediately without the user needing to type a thing !!!
So you can surmise that this is their biggest user base.

Once she asks her friends how to get around it they will suggest that is how its done !
If in fact they dont give her the line by line steps or send her a script on how to sudo the hosts file.

I guess it might end up a war of attrition - see who gives in first.
Each step Paul takes to restrict is countered by a step to circumvent, correct or avoid !

Let us know how you go Paul - I have this to look forward to in a few years !
Worse yet - I am expecting my kids will be computer savvy.

Rally

[Octane]

'sif pico or nano! vi, or death! :P

H

[Omaroo]

Hi Rally :)

Yes, Nano is installed now by default on OSX Lion, and a Pico symlink to Nano is provided so old users like me don't have to notice it. LOL

I guess that trying to restrict a nefarious child's access to FB or YT or any other web service is futile if they are so inclined to engineer their around blockages. This laptop is Paul's child's only school laptop, and as such the one she uses most - and by default. As he said, he only wanted to block access on that unit. When she's away from home - at school, or the library or with any friends she has access to any number of computers and it's a whole new game.

By blocking access on her main point of access, it still sends a message that you don't want her taking access for granted.

[PCH]

Chris, Rally, H -

thanks so much for all your suggestions and offers of help (Chris).

Firstly, I'm not sure it'd be ok for me to fiddle with the schools property. But more than that, I wouldn't feel comfortable fiddling, and not really knowing what I was doing.

And as Rally points out, - it could easily just become a war of attrition. And anyone with teenagers today knows they can be so pig-headed that they would put heart and soul into doing exactly what it takes to thwart my actions. If only they would put as much effort into their schoolwork - lol.

All things considered, I think H has nailed it. Now it's just a matter of deciding which bus stop to leave her at :lol: I know it's a horrible thing to even think, but there are times when that seems like a vey sensible option.

I think for the moment I'll just remove the lappy from her when she comes in from school, and not return it until school the next day. That much I can do easily, and hopefully will still get the message across.

Just on a slightly different topic... it's my opinion that when my daughter spends a lot of time of FB, chatting about whatever unsavoury bilge it is that they chat about these days, she becomes more beligerent, rude, lazy, and less willing to socialise within the family unit.

Anyone else noticed undesirable characteristics in their kids as a result of time spent on FB? Or have I got the only psycho on the block :screwy::lol:

Anyway, thanks guys for your unswerving help and suggestions, as always.

[Octane]

Not just kids, Paul!

H

[rally]

Paul,

Now which suggestion was that !



or



Amazing how we can take things out of context isnt it !!!

Just kidding guys - it just triggered my sense of humour.

Rally

[PCH]

Well, I did actually mean H's remark about 'disowning the child'.

But the other doesn't look like a bad alternative now that you draw it to my attention - thanks :thumbsup::lol: