Best Methods for Blocking Porn on Chromebook in 2023

Tech Lockdown Team

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Updated December 13, 2024

Whether you're using a Chromebook for personal use, providing one for a child, or acting as an accountability partner for another person, it's important to know how to block a website.

In fact, you would ideally block entire categories of websites to protect yourself or your child from harmful and unwanted content.

I've written this guide after several years of testing the best methods for blocking unwanted content on many different devices.

The methods for blocking websites and Adult content on Google Chromebooks are quite different than Windows and Mac laptops.

Downloading a Google Chrome blocking extension or configuring a basic content filter on a Chromebook is not an effective approach.

As many people have discovered, these approaches aren't comprehensive enough and they have one common problem in common: they are easy to get around and disable.

Just like with  Windows and Mac , you can configure a  blocking system  that fills in a lot of the gaps of generic solutions.

Chromebook Blocking System Overview

For the Chromebook, here's the high-level view of the most effective blocking system:

Here's a breakdown of this blocking system:

1. Configure advanced DNS Filtering on the Home Network to automatically add filtering to any device using the home internet connection. 
2. On the Chromebook, set up Device Management using either the partial or full management approach (depending on what is most important to you). For partial management, require a second password to disable Google's built-in filtering or to download unapproved apps from the app store.For full management (the most effective approach), you can also force Google's built-in filtering and this cannot be disabled from the Chromebook. Most interestingly, you can actually force the usage of specific apps so that they can't be uninstalled. Additionally, you can automatically block any apps or extensions that request certain capabilities. This makes it easy to block user-downloaded apps that can circumvent filtering.
3. For partial management, require a second password to disable Google's built-in filtering or to download unapproved apps from the app store.
4. For full management (the most effective approach), you can also force Google's built-in filtering and this cannot be disabled from the Chromebook. Most interestingly, you can actually force the usage of specific apps so that they can't be uninstalled. Additionally, you can automatically block any apps or extensions that request certain capabilities. This makes it easy to block user-downloaded apps that can circumvent filtering.
5. After the device is managed, force the usage of DNS Filtering on any network (not just while at home).

Home Network Filtering

Configure your home internet connection to force DNS Filtering on any device using the connection. Any device that uses your home internet connection will benefit from adult content filtering.

Modern DNS Filtering services now use machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to block adult content. This means that if an Adult website was created yesterday, a modern DNS Filter should still block it.

With a modern DNS Filtering service, like the one provided by Tech Lockdown, you can block entire categories of websites or manage your own personalized Allow/Block lists.

Tech Lockdown's filter customization

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Managed Chromebooks

Setting up a Chromebook as a managed device allows you to enforce settings and device configurations that make Adult Content blocking more effective.

Option 1: Partially Managed Chromebook

Using a second Google Account, you can partially manage a Chromebook and add a second password to perform certain actions on the Chromebook. This depends on the free  Family Link  tool provided by Google.

For example, if you're a parent, you can  require parental approval  to login to the Chromebook. This can be an in-person password or remote approval via push notification to your smartphone.

For individuals who want to self-manage their own Chromebook to make it difficult to turn off their own Adult Content Blocking, the second password is managed using our recommended Account Management system. This makes it time-consuming, but not impossible, to retrieve the second password.

Although partial management isn't the most effective approach, it's better than an unmanaged Chromebook.

Notable Features

• Force Google's safebrowsing feature

• Require Chromebook login approval from the managing Google account.

• Require the managing Google account to approve Google Play store downloads that aren't pre-approved.

Option 2: Fully Managed Chromebook

A fully managed Chromebook is configured using a second computer and it's the best approach to blocking Adult content on a Chromebook.

Full device management  is intended for corporations and education institutes that issue devices to employees or students.

Device management gives them complete control over device restrictions to prevent harmful behavior that might open them up to liability. As a result, device management is a very robust and effective system.

However, as we discuss in the Tech Lockdown premium guide, you don't actually need to own a business or run an educational institution to manage devices.

Notable features:

• Enforce Safesearch and Youtube restricted mode

• SafeSite URL filtering

• Block all website images

• Force safebrowsing

• Force Install Apps so they cannot be deleted or disabled

• Automatically block any user-installed extensions based on the permissions they require. This is an easy way to prevent circumvention.

DNS Filtering on any internet connection

After you set up device management, you can configure a DNS Filter.

The  best DNS Filters  that we recommend provide a roaming client, which is an effective application that forces Adult Content Filtering on the device it is configured on. It will work on any internet connection, even if you aren't browsing on your home internet connection.

When installed a specific way, it's also difficult to disable or to get around.

Account Management

An accountability partner traditionally holds on to any passwords that you need to disable a protective layer. However, for some people this isn't a practical approach.

If you are self-managing a Chromebook and do not want to use an accountability partner, you can set up an account management system to make it difficult to access any accounts that can disable Adult Content blocking.

If you want to manage your own accounts, you need to configure methods that require significant thought and effort. This ideally will discourage you from retrieving passwords, but will still allow you to do this in an emergency.