Tech Forum

I have a particular problem that may seem strange, but I'm desperate to find a solution to. I'm trying to find a way to cut down on the time that I spend using the internet. However, this is becoming harder to do with the Internet on mobile phones.

I have an iPhone, but I haven't found a way to limit my time on it. I have found some Applications that will attempt to block you, but they all have their drawbacks (and really, the target people are kids, so adults aren't in mind when it is designed)

I'm essentially looking for the following:
-be able to block all Internet usage from certain time periods during the day. This must block both wifi and 3G.
-As an alternative, blocking access to certain apps (safari, YouTube) would be acceptable as well.

One of the biggest issues is with apple. They really block the developer from doing specific things, such as my alternative suggestion. Of course you can jailbrake the phone, but this doesn't seem to be a common thing users want to do

The tricky thing is saving you from yourself. If there's a back door (ie you can just change the time, remove the program, etc) it's not gonna work.

Is anyone aware of such a thing? Any ideas? I fully understand the root of the problem, but doing it on sheer will power alone is difficult. Sometimes you need an extra boost, and this would be ideal.

ARP: Addiction Recovery Programme. Change desire rather than behaviour.

You can do it!!

Get a phone without internet. Talk with your bishop he can help you.

laphlaw wrote:but doing it on sheer will power alone is difficult.

So, don't do it alone....
enlist the help of spouse, bishop, addiction recovery group /counselors, the Holy Ghost, Your Father in Heaven. The only reliable filter is within you.

The real trick of this is the scheduling bit. You can turn off specific apps in the iOS settings, especially Safari, YouTube, and I'd recommend the App store also. Find someone you trust, a spouse or roommate or something, and have them set up the restrictions (settings, general, restrictions) and have them turn off access to those specific apps, and lock that with a passcode.
Now, being able to do this on a schedule will probably require a jailbreak app of some kind.
As everyone else has indicated, the best filters are the internal ones, but while those are being built up, some technological filters can help. Remember that Moroni didn't just put up a wall around his cities. It was a wall, a ditch, works of timbers, narrow entrances, etc.
Last, cutting that access off completely on the phone may seem drastic, but it may be appropriate to consider it a sacrifice that you are making to the Lord. Seek for the direction of the Spirit, and I hope you can find a good solution to this problem.

Please forgive my ignorance, but I'm curious why this is characterized as an addiction (that is, the OP's behavior, not the concept of internet addiction generally). I ask out of genuine ignorance, not as a backhanded challenge to the characterization. Does it appreciably diminish your quality of life? Do you go through "withdrawal" if you are deprived of access to your iPhone? Do you divert resources to internet use that whose loss in other areas of life has a destructive effect on those areas? When you use the internet, is it for practical and useful things?

Some interesting reading on Wikipedia Internet addiction disorder. But for the purposes of this forum, I think we can simply say anyone who spends more time on Internet to the detriment of their other duties may need help.

Laphlaw, its definitely easy to lose track of time while surfing on any device... I spend way to much time on my Ipad 2. The by far simplest solution- utilize the built in timer on the Iphone set it for the time limit and it goes off. Close Safari or whatever other program that is sucking away your time... Yes a little sheer will power not to open anything back up but with repetition comes habit... Good Luck!!

laphlaw wrote:I have a particular problem that may seem strange, but I'm desperate to find a solution to. I'm trying to find a way to cut down on the time that I spend using the internet. However, this is becoming harder to do with the Internet on mobile phones.

I have an iPhone, but I haven't found a way to limit my time on it. I have found some Applications that will attempt to block you, but they all have their drawbacks (and really, the target people are kids, so adults aren't in mind when it is designed)

I'm essentially looking for the following:
-be able to block all Internet usage from certain time periods during the day. This must block both wifi and 3G.
-As an alternative, blocking access to certain apps (safari, YouTube) would be acceptable as well.

One of the biggest issues is with apple. They really block the developer from doing specific things, such as my alternative suggestion. Of course you can jailbrake the phone, but this doesn't seem to be a common thing users want to do

The tricky thing is saving you from yourself. If there's a back door (ie you can just change the time, remove the program, etc) it's not gonna work.

Is anyone aware of such a thing? Any ideas? I fully understand the root of the problem, but doing it on sheer will power alone is difficult. Sometimes you need an extra boost, and this would be ideal.

What you want to do is create a profile for you iPhone. In that profile, you can manage the restrictions on your device, which include access to safari, youtube, etc. I don't think you can turn off wifi and 3G with restrictions, but I know you can restrict access to applications. In the profile, you should also be able to specify at what times of the day the profile is enforced. Google iphone profiles and you should see a few tools that can help you create profiles. This should not require you to jailbreak the device. Profiles are commonly used in enterprise and educational applications.

laphlaw wrote:I have a particular problem that may seem strange, but I'm desperate to find a solution to. I'm trying to find a way to cut down on the time that I spend using the internet. However, this is becoming harder to do with the Internet on mobile phones.

I have an iPhone, but I haven't found a way to limit my time on it. I have found some Applications that will attempt to block you, but they all have their drawbacks (and really, the target people are kids, so adults aren't in mind when it is designed)

I'm essentially looking for the following:
-be able to block all Internet usage from certain time periods during the day. This must block both wifi and 3G.
-As an alternative, blocking access to certain apps (safari, YouTube) would be acceptable as well.

One of the biggest issues is with apple. They really block the developer from doing specific things, such as my alternative suggestion. Of course you can jailbrake the phone, but this doesn't seem to be a common thing users want to do

The tricky thing is saving you from yourself. If there's a back door (ie you can just change the time, remove the program, etc) it's not gonna work.

Is anyone aware of such a thing? Any ideas? I fully understand the root of the problem, but doing it on sheer will power alone is difficult. Sometimes you need an extra boost, and this would be ideal.

i can show you how to configure payloads in IPCU and also configurator, to curtail your use. these restrictions (essentially and xml file) would be packed up into a provisioning profile that I can push to the device, and once accepted manage the security policy of the device.

call me for further. discussion..

jason yeaman 3106510011. (sms is also welcome)