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Kudos0

Preventing Norton Family extension being disabled

Posted: 16-Jan-2021 | 5:38PM · Edited: 16-Jan-2021 | 5:38PM · 7 Replies ·

There are several threads on this issue.  It seems that there is no solution to the problem. 

My child also gets to know how to disable the browser extension to prevent being blocked.  Though I was informed by email and message via apps, I was not able to go back to computer to enable it if I was away from home.

I contacted Norton live chat and was told that the Norton had no way to prevent the extension being disabled because Norton was not granted the necessary right, by the browser company, to control the extension installed.

I would suggest an alternative method.  Now, whenever the extension is disabled by child, email or apps message is sent out.  It means that Norton Family is able to detect the action.  Why not add the function that Norton Family will show up an instant message on the computer screen to notify the child and that Norton Family will lock the computer (that is what Norton Family can do now when time allowed is reached) whenever browser extension is disabled.  I think this is quite simply as the "time's up lock screen" is already present.  Just link up the detection and lock screen.

Hope Norton Developer will consider this option and release update as soon as possible.

Labels: Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Norton Family, Notification, Website Blocking
Accepted Solution
Kudos0

Re: Preventing Norton Family extension being disabled

Posted: 20-Jan-2021 | 6:06PM · Permalink

I am not following #1, but if you want to block any website you can set that site to be blocked in your settings in NF

For #2, we have heard this suggestion before, and we made a conscious decision to not behave like spyware and that this is a tool to help parents with their Childs online activity. it is meant to set guardrails and allow for communication between parent and child about acceptable behavior while accessing the internet

For #3, you can create a windows user account that does not have privilege's to make changes, you want to make a standard user account, see the following article https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v91580726

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Replies

Kudos1 Stats

Re: Preventing Norton Family extension being disabled

Posted: 18-Jan-2021 | 2:31AM · Permalink

Hi Arcoxia1995,
Welcome to the Norton Family Forum. Thanks for the suggestion.
We had considered about locking the PC in the past when browser extensions are tampered. There are few cases where detection of browser extension states may not be reliable at all times due to constant changes published by browser companies. In such cases, this can lead to undesirable effect of locking the PC and preventing its use when required. As a result we did not proceed with this approach keeping in mind the overall customer experience. However, we are exploring other possibilities to prevent browser extension being tampered by children. 

Regards,
Kishor

Kudos0

Re: Preventing Norton Family extension being disabled

Posted: 20-Jan-2021 | 7:10AM · Permalink

Hello Norton Team / Mr. Kishore - we are expecting to hear solutions from you - not expressions of helplessness.

How to ensure that CHILD CANNOT DISABLE NF extension in Chrome?
We cannot be near his computer all the time to enable the extension. Please provide PERMANENT solution e.g. child by himself CANNOT DISABLE NF Extension OR even if disabled, it immediately ENABLES AUTOMATICALLY .

I have been able to find registry entry to block his access to INCOGNITO MODE - which works well.

If NF Extension is disabled, your so called 'second layer' does not allow me to monitor / see what he is viewing on YouTube.

Why can't you a create suitable registry entry that can be installed on Child login and which prevents him from disabling his access to NF Plugin extension. I am pretty sure that Chrome has such facilities - THAT EXTENSION EITHER CANNOT BE DISABLED OR EVEN IF DISABLED - it ENABLES AUTOMATICALLY. This can surely be created by experts in your company. However I am not a expert computer programmer to create registry entry to and hence seek your company's help.

Please help as this major FLAW of child disabling NF extension - is ensuring that the whole purpose of effective monitoring is lost. Only time limitations of computer usage is working - nothing else.

Awaiting to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Kudos1 Stats

Re: Preventing Norton Family extension being disabled

Posted: 20-Jan-2021 | 5:19PM · Edited: 20-Jan-2021 | 5:22PM · Permalink

Thanks for your reply. 

1) monitor the web site at higher level (e.g. Windows Firewall ) but not at browser level.  I do agree with Mani B's suggestion to create change in the computer registry.  However, it is risky since registry change can cause Windows instability.  How about,  when NF is installed, NF will "write" allowed or prohibited site into Windows setting (something like Windows 8.1 Home Parental control) such that any browsers are affected. 

2) do not show any message saying that NF is actively monitoring the child account.  In this way, child do not know that there is NF which can be disabled freely. 

3) change the computer right of the child account such that child can not change the setting of the computer or browser.  I have been searching for such options in the internet but did not find any.  Probably, Norton Expert should have tutorials to teach parent how to accomplish this.  I am using Windows 10 Home but Home version disable the gpedit.msc by default.  Some websites (https://www.itechtics.com/easily-enable-group-policy-editor-gpedit-msc-i...) suggest to download a third party software to bring back gpedit.msc.  However, I am worried about the safety of this third  party software.  If NF program itself has such feature to enable Windows built-in gpedit.msc and has interface to change the user right,  would be great.

Accepted Solution
Kudos0

Re: Preventing Norton Family extension being disabled

Posted: 20-Jan-2021 | 6:06PM · Permalink

I am not following #1, but if you want to block any website you can set that site to be blocked in your settings in NF

For #2, we have heard this suggestion before, and we made a conscious decision to not behave like spyware and that this is a tool to help parents with their Childs online activity. it is meant to set guardrails and allow for communication between parent and child about acceptable behavior while accessing the internet

For #3, you can create a windows user account that does not have privilege's to make changes, you want to make a standard user account, see the following article https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v91580726

Kudos1 Stats

Re: Preventing Norton Family extension being disabled

Posted: 17-Feb-2021 | 11:38PM · Permalink

Hello Matt / NF Team,

I'm very sorry to hear your disappointing replies. We are looking at sincere efforts from NF team to resolve this fundamental problem that is DEFEATING the VERY PURPOSE of having parental monitoring by NF.
My child has a standard account on Win10Home. He is a standard user and has no administrative privileges. But this does not mean that he cannot block NF extension. So your solution of standard account is of no use to solve the problem.
Further on login he gets a pop-up that NF is watching his activities which makes him alert to disable NF. (This is ridiculous as monitoring needs to be done silently). Instead to child refraining from allowed activities, he is inclined to disable NF with this notification. So suggest a solution so that "NF notification only" stops - but monitoring stays on.
As I have disabled Microsoft EDGE (since NF does not work on EDGE), he opens the only browser - Chrome. The first thing he does is goes to extensions page and disables NF extension. Then he freely watches everything on Youtube without any notification or restrictions - since NF is disabled.

I don't want to block Youtube site alltogether - since there are many academic videos which help in his studies. So I want to allow him use Youtube for educational purpose, But at the same time, I do not want his to see useless time killing stuff. If NF remains enabled, I get to know everything he has watched and if there are any unwanted sites, I have his NF report as proof using which I can tell him to align. But if he disables NF extension on Chrome, I have no way to know what he is watching - whether useful or otherwise. So when NF is disabled - monitoring becomes useless.

So provide a solution that with standard account, child cannot disable NF extension on either Chrome or Firefox. Provide solution like registry entries to accomplish above. I'm very sure such provisions are available in Chrome that prevent or disallow  - disabling extensions and even if extensions are disabled, these extensions again start automatically i.e. without manual intervention. So if NF extension is disabled, it should immediate start automatically - without I coming near his PC to enable extension. Or if he disables NF extension, he gets notified of breach and he is logged out.

This is a serious problem going on since long and please for god's sake provide workable solution instead of lame solutions or excuses that this cannot be accomplished. If an eminent corporate like Symantec says they cannot do this then I should not be buying Norton antivirus suite.

Please help with real workable and foolproof solutions.

Thanks,

Kudos1 Stats

Re: Preventing Norton Family extension being disabled

Posted: 18-Feb-2021 | 12:21AM · Permalink

Hello Matt / NF Team,

I'm very sorry to hear your disappointing replies. We are looking at sincere efforts from NF team to resolve this fundamental problem that is DEFEATING the VERY PURPOSE of having parental monitoring by NF.
My child has a standard account on Win10Home. He is a standard user and has no administrative privileges. But this does not mean that he cannot block NF extension. So your solution of standard account is of no use to solve the problem.
Further on login he gets a pop-up that NF is watching his activities which makes him alert to disable NF. (This is ridiculous as monitoring needs to be done silently). Instead to child refraining from allowed activities, he is inclined to disable NF with this notification. So suggest a solution so that "NF notification only" stops - but monitoring stays on.
As I have disabled Microsoft EDGE (since NF does not work on EDGE), he opens the only browser - Chrome. The first thing he does is goes to extensions page and disables NF extension. Then he freely watches everything on Youtube without any notification or restrictions - since NF is disabled.

I don't want to block Youtube site alltogether - since there are many academic videos which help in his studies. So I want to allow him use Youtube for educational purpose, But at the same time, I do not want his to see useless time killing stuff. If NF remains enabled, I get to know everything he has watched and if there are any unwanted sites, I have his NF report as proof using which I can tell him to align. But if he disables NF extension on Chrome, I have no way to know what he is watching - whether useful or otherwise. So when NF is disabled - monitoring becomes useless.

So provide a solution that with standard account, child cannot disable NF extension on either Chrome or Firefox. Provide solution like registry entries to accomplish above. I'm very sure such provisions are available in Chrome that prevent or disallow  - disabling extensions and even if extensions are disabled, these extensions again start automatically i.e. without manual intervention. So if NF extension is disabled, it should immediate start automatically - without I coming near his PC to enable extension. Or if he disables NF extension, he gets notified of breach and he is logged out.

This is a serious problem going on since long and please for god's sake provide workable solution instead of lame solutions or excuses that this cannot be accomplished. If an eminent corporate like Symantec says they cannot do this then I should not be buying Norton antivirus suite.

Please help with real workable and foolproof solutions.

Thanks,

Kudos0

Re: Preventing Norton Family extension being disabled

Posted: 18-Feb-2021 | 12:30AM · Permalink

Hi Mani B

Thanks for all the details and we understand your concerns as a parent.  We are constantly looking at various approaches to solve this problem.  One of the solution is to use the registry entries for extension protection.  There are some registry entries with which we can provide protection to extensions, however those are meant for Enterprise products. We are working closely with browser vendors to see if we can use the same for consumer products like Norton Family.

We will keep you updated once we have a concrete solution. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Regards
Norton Family Team

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