Is there a way to limit a web browser to only a few website?

February 8, 2020 11:43 AM

I'm thinking of getting a Chromebook solely for the purposes of work and writing. I have some strong bad habits around wasting time on the Internet and I'd like to find some sort of parental control software (or something like that) that will let me set it up so that I can only go to a small set of specific websites. Is that a thing?
posted by overglow to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

One popular tool is leechblock, there are many similar, that one lets you whitelist and blacklist sites, as well as to allow sites up to a time limit. It’s pretty flexible and you can set it up to allow nothing but a whitelist, among other options.
posted by SaltySalticid at 12:15 PM on February 8, 2020 [1 favorite]

There are many productivity tools for blocking some sites, or blocking internet access altogether during certain times, or a combination thereof.

Freedom works on multiple devices, but has a subscription cost.

Stay Focused is a free Chrome extension.

And Pause doesn't actually block anything, but does make you stop and think before going to a site. It's also for Chrome.

You can Google "website blockers" for many more to read the pros and cons that fit your style preference.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 1:25 PM on February 8, 2020 [1 favorite]

I use Freedom when I'm working and can recommend it.
posted by jscalzi at 1:58 PM on February 8, 2020

I have the Freedom app, with lifetime membership (got it at a huge discount) and it totally is worth it.
posted by yueliang at 2:53 PM on February 8, 2020

Right now, use FEB2020 code on Freedom for half off the Forever plan.
posted by dobbs at 3:39 PM on February 9, 2020