How do I disable the incognito feature in the default browser?

[kittygrr75]

I want to completely disable the incognito feature in the default browser, I guess it's a great thing to have but not with a 14 year old. There must be a way to get rid of this so I'm able to see where my daughter is going on the web. Someone PLEASE tell me how to disable incognito mode! I find it hard to believe that in this day and age of desperately needed internet safety for children, that kids have the ability to completely hide where they go on the internet from their parents. There has to be a way to disable or block incognito mode.

 

[MahaloCat]

What Version are you running?
HC ? ICS?

 

[Mrhelper]

There is apparently no way to disable that feature on the stock browser. I'm not sure there would be an advantage to that anyway, because it only takes only a few quick taps to clear all browsing history, or even remove individual items from the list. You could disable the stock browser, but you cannot password protect that action, and it can easily be enabled/disabled by anyone using the tablet.

Most 11-16 year olds already understand most of this much better than many adults. Instead of using such a vulnerable passive method, maybe you'd find one of the available active solutions to be more effective, such as one of the parental control apps.

Try the searches shown below in google for a list of parental control apps available at the play store:

parental control sitelay.google.com/store/apps

parental internet safety sitelay.google.com/store/apps

I have not tried any of these apps, but some appear to have history monitoring and some form of recording capability. I assume the configurations for at least some are password protected.

 

[Lauerallaie]

Although you cannot disable incognito mode on the Note, you can download and install Kytetime on your child's phone. Then download Firefox browser, as Firefox does not have incognito mode on the Android platform. From there you will want to set up Kytetime to restrict "Web" on an "always" basis, but leaving Firefox unrestricted. At this point you can do one of two things:

1. You can tell your child that clearing the history will result in suspension of phone use; or,

2. Go to "www.smstracker.com" and download, directly from the site (this will require you to go into the settings menu and allow app downloads from non-playstore places), and download "System Health 3.66", which is actually a revolutionary tracking app. You get text message tracking for free, which lets you view a copy of any text message sent or received via web browser. So between Kytetime, Firefox, System Health 3.66, and your online account with you cell phone service provider, you will know every move your child is making - websites visited, GPS location at all times, detailed text messages sent or received, and who they're talking to and when.

********************A WORD TO THE WISE********************

If you deem your teenager old enough to have a Galaxy Note, or a phone in general, then you should give your child the benefit of the doubt. Don't just assume it is going to ruin their life, and cause them to become porn stars, drug addicts or failures. I am 26 years old, and just had my first child one year ago. I am at a very unique crossroads where I have a child and, therefore, understand fully the overprotective nature of being a parent; but, I was also part of the first generation of teenagers who grew up with cell phones, text message and cell phone web browsing being the status quo. Did I look at porn? Yep. Did I text my friends during school? You bet! Did I send pictures of myself in my underwear to my boyfriend? Sure did! I also managed to keep a 4.0, I didn't lose my virginity until I after I graduated (graduation night, actually), and I went on to put MYSELF through college as a paralegal running the office for a private attorney (only $60k/year but enough to make ends more than meet), and am about to graduate with my law degree. Did I mention I was with my now husband for 4 years before we -decided- to have our son? Oh, we had also purchased our first house about a year before we got pregnant. My parents gave me trust, they gave me space, and they let me make my own decisions. What's more is they were open and brutally honest about the world around me, which prepared me to make the RIGHT decision when faced with a real world dilemma. So my advice to all of you parents who are not savvy with the tech world: don't secretly stalk your child. If you think your kid is old enough for a smartphone, then treat them like it, and give them the responsibility that comes with it. Talk to them like they're adults, and you will find they will start behaving like adults. Your child is simply a mirror of your parenting abilities.

 

[peakay]

Lauerallaie,

I just registered so I could thank you for this post -- really great technical content and parental considerations. Great job!

One thing I hate (and you didn't do) is people preaching about how one should and shouldn't raise their kids. What I've come to understand is each situation is different and ours is one where online access has definitely been detrimental to our kids despite talking to them as adults and trying all the other common sense approaches. I'm now in a restrict mode for the amount of time they spend and a trust but verify approach for everything else. That's what works for us, but it may not for others.

Thanks again and have a great day!

Although you cannot disable incognito mode on the Note, you can download and install Kytetime on your child's phone....

 

[SmajEnterprise]

I know this is an old thread, however I have just released a new app which blocks incognito tabs from Chrome, Incognito Away. It has password protect features, and is geared towards parents wanting to protect their children.


The Chrome tabs are blocked instantly, as soon as some tries to open it. You can also have a pop-up message appear when some does try and open an incognito tab. For example, you could write out a warning to a child.


Additionally, there is an inbuilt feature to hide the app’s icon from the launcher, so that it’s harder for someone to even find that the app is installed.


To prevent people from being able to uninstall the app, I would recommend that you download an “App Lock” type app from the Play Store (such as this one). This will make it so that if someone tries to open your Device Settings to uninstall the app, a password will be required.


Note: I am the developer of Incognito Away. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch


App Download Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smajenterprise.incognitoaway
Website: http://smajenterprise.com/apps/incognitoaway