This topic

Parent Controls not working

MrRat — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 16:49:59 GMT

I have full access to my parent controls, as I am the account holder. I can turn them fully off, or add websites and I can adjust the custom settings to tick or untick all the different content. Everything used to work fine, when I knew my children did not have their devices late at night (phone on charge in the room I was in), I would turn off the controls to have fun adult access.

Now though, despite turning it off, leaving it many hours, adjusting different content settings, adding approved websites, it all doesn’t work! The controls act as if they are permanently on and no approved site works either, all this despite turning it off and adding sites to try. It all used to work within a couple of minutes of me changing the setting. I wondered whether the time delay had increased, but it doesn’t work even after 12 hours. This is the case for the last couple of weeks I think, or close to that.

As a side issue, in the months before this happened, I’d also find the availability of turning off parent controls interment late at night. I’d often find the service down. It’s late at night that I want to turn it off, late at night is probably when the service needs to be available, when children are asleep.

I’ve read all the other topics on this problem. I’ve seen the solution it to complete a full reset of the router. This seems only possible via BT engineer, remotely I guess.

Please can I be helped with this situation.

Re: Parent Controls not working

RobbieMac — Sat, 09 Mar 2024 18:26:24 GMT

Hi @MrRat

Welcome to the BT Community and thank you for your post!

I am sorry for the problems you're having with Parental controls. We can pick up from here and help you out. I have sent you a private message with instructions on how you can send us over your details and we'll look into this for you. See: Private messages

Thanks,

Robbie

Re: Parent Controls not working

Gozie005 — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 06:43:32 GMT

I am havig similar issues. I have turned off Parental Control, but still won't allow blocked site 'youtube and roblox' work.

I have restarted my router about 3 times already, still no luck. I still want to have the ability of having full control of sites are visited on my network via the Parental Control which I have found very helpful all these years.

Please can I get some help on this.

Thanks

Basil

Re: Parent Controls not working

Leanne_T — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 13:00:08 GMT

Hi @Gozie005

Thanks for coming to the community.

If you get in touch with our technical support team they will get the parental controls looked into for you.

Leanne.

Re: Parent Controls not working

Gozie005 — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 17:55:36 GMT

Hello @Leanne_T ,

I called the Tech team and was advised to do a factory reset, which still didn't fix my issue.

The call ended with the technician telling me to wait 2 weeks and that the offline team would help look into it. This is not helpful at all.

Re: Parent Controls not working

Christopher_G — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 08:03:06 GMT

It sounds like the technical support guide that you spoke to has escalated this to the next level, @Gozie005 .

Hopefully they'll be in contact with you to fix it soon.

Chris

Re: Parent Controls not working

Gozie005 — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 10:43:17 GMT

I hope so too @Christopher_G.

I am also inclined to think the issue might be with the router, but I will wait to hear from them soon.

Re: Parent Controls not working

MightyGeorge — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 12:55:59 GMT

The problem is in the update service for parentals controls of BT's DNS servers, where the content filtering takes place (I'm having the same issue, can't get updates for an old Oculus Quest 1 that I'm trying to resurrect because I can't get to meta.com due to parental controls). When this happens, it usually takes a few weeks for them to fix it and clear the backlog of updates.

In the meantime, there are 3 workarounds (for use only if you're comfortable them):

1) Manually configure the TCP/IP settings for your device and use a different primary DNS service, like Googles (primary = 8.8.8.8, secondary = 8.8.4.4 which has not parental controls) or OpenDNS (primary = 208.67.222.222, secondary = 208.67.220.220 if you still want some content filtering capability) to bypass the BT parental controls and DNS. This is the one I used to prove it is in the BT servers in their data centres, not our routers or devices.

2) Replace the BT Router with a different one entirely that you can control the DNS settings for (the BT Home Hub has the DNS settings locked so you can't change them). While this is an option, I refuse to do this on principle - It is BT that needs to do a better job of monitoring the parental controls update service, respond to failures faster and make it more reliable.

3) If you are using Apple devices, make sure they have the latest software installed and enable Advanced Tracking Protection that will bypass the BT DNS and parental controls entirely and use the Apple DNS servers (parental controls are in family settings in Apple IDs if you want them).

Re: Parent Controls not working

MightyGeorge — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 13:12:59 GMT

There's a 4th option I just thought of (and it's working to solve my oculus resurrection blocker) - tether to mobile phone and use your mobile data plan for anything urgent.

Again, not endorsing this as a long term solution because there's a cost involved, but I can't wait around for BT to fix their service in this case.

Re: Parent Controls not working

Gozie005 — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 04:02:44 GMT

@MightyGeorge Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, I manually changed the DNS settings on one of the devices as my other half works predominantly from home and needs YouTube regularly as part of her job.

I will try the Advance Tracking protection, but BT needs to own this kind of issue, and like you rightly pointed it is in their data center/domain.

Thanks once again @MightyGeorge for the suggestions.

BT please do get back to me on this as you know these actions taken are just a workaround, and I do need a permanent fix for the issue across my home network.

Re: Parent Controls not working

MrRat — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 09:44:18 GMT

Once again parent controls are not working for me. I turn it off via bt website account or via bt app - the controls remain on (despite showing as off!). I turn them back on, then off again, nothing. I turned them off and checked 8 hours later, still they were active despite showing as off.

The controls for parent controls are not fit for purpose, I’m considering changing provider because this is rediculous.

Re: Parent Controls not working

Gozie005 — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 20:09:10 GMT

@MrRat your case is exactly what I am currently experiencing with my BT network.

BT, please can this be sorted out soon?

Re: Parent Controls not working

Christopher_G — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 09:15:48 GMT

Hi @MrRat and @Gozie005

I recommend speaking with our customer care team so that this can be looked into. They'll be able to access your account to make sure that everything is showing correctly from our side.

Chris

Re: Parent Controls not working

MrRat — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 09:50:29 GMT

I did this a few months ago, it was eventually solved. Now it’s not working again. It’s annoying to have to keep contacting them to solve the same problem.

Re: Parent Controls not working

Gozie005 — Sat, 05 Oct 2024 02:52:35 GMT

@Christopher_G I did contact the customer support team on the 27th of October 2024, and the customer representative advised me to reset the router which didn't fix the issue. He then told me to wait for 2 weeks before someone from the offline team could investigate it. He also mentioned that a text message would be sent to my mobile to help me avoid the queue when next I call, but unfortunately, after more than one week, I am still waiting for the text message.

This is completely ridiculous just to say the least. Please guys I need this sorted, or someone take ownership of this issue.

Re: Parent Controls not working

Leanne_T — Sat, 05 Oct 2024 08:03:04 GMT

Hi @Gozie005

I am really sorry we have no account access on the community to get this looked into for you.

If you could get back in touch, the team will check the account history to see what has been completed and provide an update.

Leanne.

Re: Parent Controls not working

Gozie005 — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 11:16:34 GMT

Strangely this has now started working. I hope it stays this way.

Thanks guys.

Re: Parent Controls not working

Katie_B — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 12:51:56 GMT

Thanks for coming back and letting us know @Gozie005.

Katie