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Why blocks need care
A block is a snapshot of names and rules. The internet keeps moving. This page explains the ordinary reasons a careful setup still needs a look later, without treating upkeep as a cure for harm.
DNS is a directory, not a lock
DNS is the Domain Name System. It answers “what addresses belong to this name?” A blocker that poisons or refuses a lookup only works when the device asks that directory.
Some apps remember an old answer. That memory is a cache. Until the cache expires, the app may skip a fresh lookup. A name you blocked today can still open from yesterday’s note.
A public resolver and a home router can disagree. If the phone uses mobile data, it may ignore the router’s list. Care means knowing which directory each device asks.
IPv4 and IPv6 are both addresses
IPv4 is the older address style, written as four numbers separated by dots. IPv6 is the newer style, written with colons and a longer form. A site can be reachable on either, or on both.
A rule that mentions only IPv4 can leave IPv6 open. A rule that blocks a name is often wider, because the name covers whichever address DNS returns. A rule that blocks one number can miss the other number for the same site.
You do not need to memorise address formats. You do need to ask, when you review a filter, whether it speaks both protocols. Vendor help pages for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS describe the current switches. Check those pages when you review, because labels move.
Lists go stale
Operators add new domain names. A personal list that was complete in one season is not complete later. This site will not supply those names. You maintain your own list, or you use a device category control whose vendor maintains categories.
Remove names only when you mean to. Adding is easier than noticing a quiet removal. If another person holds the passcode, agree how often you will review together.
Secure habits, named once
OWASP, the Open Worldwide Application Security Project, is a long-running nonprofit known for public guidance on software risks. For a home blocker, the useful ideas are simple. Do not disable browser security warnings to “make the block work.” Do not store passwords inside the extension. Do not run code you cannot read. Do not give a helper app permission to change system security settings you do not understand.
| Check | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Directory | Which DNS does this device use on Wi-Fi and on mobile data? |
| Protocols | Does the rule cover IPv4 and IPv6, or only one? |
| Scope | Which browsers and apps ignore the rule? |
| Lock | Who can turn the rule off, and how quickly? |
| Help | If the urge is stronger than the rule, who will you contact? |
If the last question is the real one, software care is not enough. The National Council on Problem Gambling and a qualified clinician are the right next step. Read Safer choices and App parts for the ideas this review depends on.