Content controls not working

[Horseradish]

I’ve tried to set my Broadband content controls to safe as we have children in the house but they don’t work! When I click the link on  the website is says “nothing to see here”. The app just gives me a blank page. Spent 2 hours on chat/call. Still nothing. I was sent a direct link to the content controls page but that doesn’t work either. What is going on? Thanks

[Jayach]

I just tried it and found the same thing “nothing to see here”,

It was because it was trying to show content controls on the telephone side of the contract, even though I had selected the broadband.

Log out and log in again using this link Content controls profile (vodafone.co.uk), but when asked make sure you select the Broadband option and not Landline. (lower of the two options)

It is really weird and confusing the way Vodafone set out the website, as usually you can change between the services once you have logged in, but in this instance if I didn't select the correct one on signing it, it seemed impossible to get to the content controls.

[CrimsonLiar]

This has to one of the biggest own goals Vodafone has made of recent!

Using Vodafone DNS, it's currently not possible to access the DNS content control page.  Change the DNS to one that performs no filtering such as 8.8.8.8 and you can get to VF's content filtering!

* Vodafone is currently filtering access to the page that allows users to define what gets filtered *

**Oddly using Cloudflare's 1.1.1.2 also blocks the VF content controls at the moment

***Using pihole to test these things is quick, easy, and safe!

**** Lets see if this answer gets "removed"

[Horseradish]

So basically they have messed up and we can’t control content? Is there anything I can do besides switching providers?

[Jayach]

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@Horseradish wrote:

So basically they have messed up and we can’t control content? Is there anything I can do besides switching providers?

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Did you try what I posted earlier?

[CrimsonLiar]

It's a faff, but if you temporarily switch to google's DNS in the router settings, you can get to the Vodafone content control page and once you've adjusted the settings you can switch back.

The other option is just to use an alternative DNS - most of the free alternatives will not give the flexibility of the VF content controls.

You could start by looking at:  Known DNS providers  as with all external links proceed with caution!

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Personally, I don't think there is a perfect, guaranteed to always work, free solution out there.  I've been using the VF DNS through Pi-Hole (I've also experimented with AdGuard-Home and Diversion), but my goal has been just to block malicious content and ads (Pi-Hole is too strict if I'm honest).

[CrimsonLiar]

@Jayach - that's a VF DNS server that I'd not seen before!  I now have full access to VF content controls from the default (I assumed) VF DNS here which are 90.255.255.90 and 90.255.255.255 - so maybe it was just a temporary glitch!

[Jayach]

The Vodafone DNS servers I seem to get are 84.9.214.198 and 84.9.214.199, perhaps they are physically closer to here. (South East Essex)

[Jayach]

@CrimsonLiar

I can't duplicate your findings. With Vodafone's DNS and content controls on Max, I can still access the content controls. (Yes I did flush the DNS cache after swapping back)

The DNS server I am getting is 84.9.214.199

[Horseradish]

I did that, set my controls to safe but it still allows access to malicious sites.