Side effect of blocking YouTube

Slicer
New Contributor III

I have created a Configuration profile that will block YouTube on our iPads. What I am finding out is that this has a negative side affect on some websites.

To wit: mclass.amplify.com needs to access accounts.youtube.com. When I go in to the configuration profile/content filter/ and allow accounts.youtube.com, it still does not work. I have this same issue with houstonzoo.org when I add it to the allowed URL section of Content Filter within the Configuration profile.

I have been able to exclude iPads from the scope of this configuration profile and things work. However, that effectively allows YouTube at all times. So...where to go?

I want to block YouTube, but allow other sites that rely on YouTube to work. I was hoping the Allowed site of accounts.youtube.com would supersede the blocklisted URL of *.youtube.com. Was I wrong in hoping this was the case?

 

Solution(s)?

Thanks!!

1 REPLY 1

mainelysteve
Valued Contributor II

What is your environment? Business, K12, Higher Ed, etc? On device blocking doesn't have a whole lot of nuance. If the domain is blocked but you allow a subdomain the blocked domain will supersede that. In your case you used a wildcard so accounts.youtube.com will be both allowed and blocked. 

You could always use your on-premise DNS server(if one exists that is) to force Youtube into it's most restrictive mode. Not a total block for sure, but I think you need to invest in a content filter versus using on device blocking. 

https://support.google.com/a/answer/6214622?product_name=UnuFlow&hl=en&visit_id=637866599765248267-3...