Smart Family not blocking Instagram

[kawane]

I have Smart Family set up on my child's phone with it blocking all social media including Instagram.  However, Instagram is still working.  Why?

[vzw_customer_support]

kawane, we definitely understand how important it is for you to be able to control the access that your child has t social media platforms. At this moment we would like to find out more information, so we can provide you with precise steps in order to successfully block this platform. Is your child accessing Instagram through the web browser or the app? Also, is your child currently connected to a Wi-Fi network?

We've also attached a link with helpful information regarding Verizon SmartFamily. https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/verizon-smart-family-faqs/

GeovannJ_VZW

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If my response answered your question please click the "Correct Answer" button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[kawane]

Thanks.  We blocked Instagram and Snapchat using the Smart Family App for my middle and younger child. Yet, when testing it, my oldest son was able to successfully send to the blocked phone.  both phones were connected to the home wi-fi.

Additionally, we had blocked a specific phone number using Smart Family for both phones, yet my child was still able to send and receive texts from this person on iPhone Messages.

Why doesn't Smart Family work? 

Ultimately we ended up removing the app from the phone and unsubscribing from Smart Family since it doesn't work.  We are currently using another 3rd part app for parental controls, however, it doesn't allow blocking specific phone numbers. 

If you tell me how to get number blocking to work I'd consider it again, but until then, we're moving on.

Thanks.

[Ann154]

Did you try testing the blocked app on the cellular data network?  The application might have worked because both devices were on wifi.

[kawane]

Looking back at it, they were getting still getting notifications, so we turned that off.  Couldn't actually see the person's posts on Instagram/Snapchat, just that the person had sent something recently. I think that my son's successful test was because they both were on the local home wi-fi.

The incoming texts from the block number was coming over the cell network because that person is across town. 

[vzw_customer_support]

kwane,

It's great to hear that the app block is working now on the phone, but let's get some more information on this blocked number. You had said these iMessage texts were still showing up after blocking the number - were the text messages from this blocked number coming in as green or blue? On your son's phone, please go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive, and let us know what has a check mark under each section (not the exact number and/or email, just if it has a number and/or email checked).

Russell_VZW
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If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[kawane]

I don't have the texts that were coming through from the blocked number anymore. But all the other texts on his phone are coming through as blue.

In the Send & Receive section there are check marks under "You can be reached by iMessage at" (his phone number and the email address associated with his Apple ID), and also under "Start New Conversations From" (just his phone number is checked).

[vzw_customer_support]

Thank you for that clarification, Kawane. 

In the settings, with the mobile number and email being selected, this tells me that he is set to send/receive both text messages, and iMessages. When you block a number, there is still a chance that messages can sneak through via iMessage, because smart family, and number blocking, only blocks mobile numbers, where iMessage comes in from Apple's service (that's the email that's listed). The messages coming in Blue also confirms that they are iMessages (Blue means iMessage, green means regular text). If you still have an issue with that mobile number being contacted, you can turn off iMessage in Settings> messages> iMessage, then turn the switch off. This would ensure that the number itself is blocked, and that they can't communicate via iMessage either. 

Leonard_VZW
Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!