Hello,
I once considered asking XDA for suggestions about this, and so I'm doing now, as maybe you can share a few ideas on how that can be acheivable, if possible at all;
This is a serious request, while I believe that I'm no addict or anything - I have self control, but emh, trying to quit;
Thing is I'm doing this for myself as a matter of self-control - First I would like to mention rooting my device was really useful (Rooted Android devices since 2011), as it allowed me to modify my hosts file and block a few common websites first, which did worked really well, especially the first few days/weeks. Once a site is blocked in the hosts file, there's no going back, I never removed any site from it. (If I was doing this, I'm not not helping myself anyway. So that's why I never change it back. I mean, everytime you'd want to fire up your browser, you would just remember, sorry man, that site is blocked now. That work.
But obviously, hosts file has it's flaws, since I couldn't filter https websites from it, and I even wonder if it's possible doing this. Also made me really wish it could support wildcards, or ANYTHING can be used to block sites using wildcards, to block as many as possible. like, blocking http:..*porn* , or anything else (I know what keyword to filter to make that work best).
Or alternatively, I would have attempted something else long ago (Did this on PC using Leachblock, but on a different purpose/topic, focussing to study stuff), blocking this URL with wildcard: google.ca/*porn*
By blocking the search engine using wildcards and a few common keywords I usually use, I would imagine that CAN be done. But just not sure how to do it, especially with wildcards, which is probably essential.
Alternatively: block the whole Opera browser from, 22PM to 8PM (Only browser I have installed)? How? (I've thought of Tasker, or planified Titanium Backup task... Freezing Opera?) Of course this wouldn't prevent me from installing a different browser, but like I've mentionned, by installing a different browser, you choose to give up on all this effort. I don't do that, like I don't modify my hosts file back. Of course it would be so easy using root to delete or JUST rename the hosts file to disable it for a while, but I don't think that really matter, it's effort related, like I've mentionned. I was thinking of setting a password asking for deletion or anything.. Only way I thought was to input a random PIN I did not know to SuperSU, but now that prevent me from allowing every root apps.
Even by installing APKs, they can be uninstalled... Even if they ask for admin rights, even if removing admin rights requires a password (Cerberus is the only one I know who does this).. The APK could just be removed from the partition heh;
Of course, flashing ROMs to bypass this is out of the question - I could do that, but as usual you're not helping yourself, and I'm not such a freak XD Waiting 10 minutes to restore a different ROM / Nandroid backup, I mean, usually the urge would fade anyway. Well.
Aware that there would be no bulletproof way to prevent accessing such sites for sure, but maybe you are open to share some ideas, Android related huh; I believe that the more stuff I put to prevent access, the more that help, and the less you are tempted of doing the effort to bypass. Still, modifying the hosts files was a HUGE first step (I don't think I could have started without doing this).
Thank you for maybe sharing your thoughts
I once considered asking XDA for suggestions about this, and so I'm doing now, as maybe you can share a few ideas on how that can be acheivable, if possible at all;
This is a serious request, while I believe that I'm no addict or anything - I have self control, but emh, trying to quit;
Thing is I'm doing this for myself as a matter of self-control - First I would like to mention rooting my device was really useful (Rooted Android devices since 2011), as it allowed me to modify my hosts file and block a few common websites first, which did worked really well, especially the first few days/weeks. Once a site is blocked in the hosts file, there's no going back, I never removed any site from it. (If I was doing this, I'm not not helping myself anyway. So that's why I never change it back. I mean, everytime you'd want to fire up your browser, you would just remember, sorry man, that site is blocked now. That work.
But obviously, hosts file has it's flaws, since I couldn't filter https websites from it, and I even wonder if it's possible doing this. Also made me really wish it could support wildcards, or ANYTHING can be used to block sites using wildcards, to block as many as possible. like, blocking http:..*porn* , or anything else (I know what keyword to filter to make that work best).
Or alternatively, I would have attempted something else long ago (Did this on PC using Leachblock, but on a different purpose/topic, focussing to study stuff), blocking this URL with wildcard: google.ca/*porn*
By blocking the search engine using wildcards and a few common keywords I usually use, I would imagine that CAN be done. But just not sure how to do it, especially with wildcards, which is probably essential.
Alternatively: block the whole Opera browser from, 22PM to 8PM (Only browser I have installed)? How? (I've thought of Tasker, or planified Titanium Backup task... Freezing Opera?) Of course this wouldn't prevent me from installing a different browser, but like I've mentionned, by installing a different browser, you choose to give up on all this effort. I don't do that, like I don't modify my hosts file back. Of course it would be so easy using root to delete or JUST rename the hosts file to disable it for a while, but I don't think that really matter, it's effort related, like I've mentionned. I was thinking of setting a password asking for deletion or anything.. Only way I thought was to input a random PIN I did not know to SuperSU, but now that prevent me from allowing every root apps.
Even by installing APKs, they can be uninstalled... Even if they ask for admin rights, even if removing admin rights requires a password (Cerberus is the only one I know who does this).. The APK could just be removed from the partition heh;
Of course, flashing ROMs to bypass this is out of the question - I could do that, but as usual you're not helping yourself, and I'm not such a freak XD Waiting 10 minutes to restore a different ROM / Nandroid backup, I mean, usually the urge would fade anyway. Well.
Aware that there would be no bulletproof way to prevent accessing such sites for sure, but maybe you are open to share some ideas, Android related huh; I believe that the more stuff I put to prevent access, the more that help, and the less you are tempted of doing the effort to bypass. Still, modifying the hosts files was a HUGE first step (I don't think I could have started without doing this).
Thank you for maybe sharing your thoughts
xda-developers