Dashboard Update - Mac Config Generator (October 2024)
We've just released a new tool for Mac, which allows you to protect specific settings. This helps you ensure that content filtering is not intentionally or accidentally bypassed through certain loopholes that exist on a Mac.
In a previous update, we released a tool for iOS that allows you to reliably enforce certain settings on an iPhone using config files, ensuring that content filtering is never bypassed. For example, you can enforce a content filtering VPN on iPhone by preventing conflicting VPNs from overriding it.
The feedback on this feature was overwhelmingly positive, so we decided to release a similar tool for Mac.
On Mac computers, it's also possible to install config files that protect certain settings. However, there are far more options compared to iOS. Even better, these config files can be installed and enforced on a standard Mac - device management/supervision is not required! Mac users can immediately start using this new tool.
How it Works
Config files can be used to quickly enforce certain settings on a Mac.
As an example, I've installed a config that prevents deleting browser history in the most popular web browsers. If I try to delete browser history in Chrome, it will prevent me from selecting the option and will show that the setting is enforced.
Download a Config Preset
We provide config presets that are ideal for making a blocking system more reliable. You can quickly get started by downloading one of these presets from the Tech Lockdown Dashboard in Tools > Mac > Config Presets.
We'll walk you through which presets to download when you go through our Device Setup wizard for Mac.
Installing Config Files on a Mac
The installation process for these config files is relatively straightforward. After downloading one of the presets, you can easily install it via system settings.
We provide step-by-step installation instructions to make this easier.
Protect Config Files from Removal
Similar to our supervised config generator for iPhone , you'll have the option to enforce a config file that you install by selecting the prevent uninstall option:
When this option is selected, a password will be required in order to remove the enforced config. This password can be gated behind profile locking .
Config Presets
Tech Lockdown members get access to our carefully curated config presets, which are designed with blocking porn on a Mac in mind.
This means that we prioritize configs that increase browsing transparency and restrict common loopholes that allow circumventing content blocking.
Here are the config presets that are available for download:
Enforce Apple's Built-in Adult Content Filter
Apple provides a built-in web content filter that can restrict adult content. This blocking layer works alongside a Content Policy , so we highly recommend enabling it as a fallback blocking layer.
Disable Deleting Browser History
Improve web browsing transparency by removing the option to deleting browser history in supported browsers.
This config applies to Microsoft Edge, Chrome, and brave browser.
Disable Adding Browser Profiles
Some web browsers provide the option to switch between or add new "profiles", which have their own distinct settings and associated browsing history, bookmark data, etc.
Our provided config preset enforces the existing browser profile so that the user can't switch to or create a new one.
Disable Browser Guest Mode
Similar to disable adding browser profiles, this config preset will prevent a user from switching to a temporary browser profile (guest mode).
Force Browser Safe Search
It's possible to enforce SafeSearch using a web browser's settings, which works as a fallback for if the Content Policy SafeSearch enforcement rule is bypassed.
This preset will toggle on the web browser's SafeSearch option, which enforces the associated search engine's safesearch mode for that browser's primary search engine (bing for Microsoft edge, Google for Chrome).
Disable Incognito Mode
Browsers provide a "private" browsing mode (referred to as incognito mode in Chrome) which doesn't save the browser history or cookies from the browser session. To increase browsing transparency for shared devices, we recommend installing this config preset to disable incognito mode .
Restrict Overriding DNS in the Browser
Some web browsers provide the option to specify a secure DNS provider or a proxy, which can conflict with a content policy. We recommend installing our provided config preset to prevent a user from overriding DNS .
Disable Adding New Mac Users
Some users will bypass content filtering by creating a new account on the Mac, which may not have the full blocking system configured. Restricting the option to add new users to the Mac with our preset can effectively mitigate this loophole.
Disable Mac Guest Account
Similar to the browser guest mode, it's possible to sign in as a guest on some Macs that have this option configured. We highly recommend disabling guest accounts with this provided preset.
Disable App Store
When this preset is installed, the Mac App Store will be completely disabled so that new apps can't be installed via the App Store. Automatic app updates will still continue to work even though the App Store will be disabled.
Image-Free Browsing
Although incredibly limiting, we provide a preset that completely disables images in web browsers. We doubt many people will opt for this, but if a dumb phone is appealing to you, you might consider this preset.
Future Plans
Config files for Supervised iOS and MacOS allow a user to reliably enforce a blocking system without having to use "hacky" techniques that are patched together. We plan to expand on these features and would love your feedback on what you'd like to see next.
Feel free to contact us or leave a comment in our Reddit post .
Going Further with a Blocking System for Mac
If you didn't know this already, Tech Lockdown members also get access to a powerful Content Policy , which is reliably enforced with our Content Policy enforcer tool for Mac .
This new Mac config generator tool is an added bonus which can help you go even further with setting up an effective blocking system on the Mac.
