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Exception List

Exception Lists let you define a custom set of rules for blocking or allowing specific websites that your other filtering rules do not cover. Each entry can target a full domain, a subdomain, or part of a URL, and wildcards let a single entry match multiple URLs at once.

You can create your own Exception Lists and assign them to your policies. Your administrator can also share their Exception Lists with you. You can view a shared list and assign it to your policies, but you cannot change it.

To access the Exception List page, click Filters from the Main Menu, then click Exception Lists from its sub-menu.

Prerequisites

Exception Lists are visible and available only if your administrator has enabled them for your account. If the Filters menu does not appear on your dashboard, contact your administrator.

Exception List Page

Creating an Exception List

To set up an Exception List, create the list, add the URLs you want blocked or allowed, then configure the settings that apply to it.

To create and configure an Exception List:

  1. Type a name for the list in the Enter list name text box, then click the Create List Button button. The new list appears on the Exception List page.

    Enter List Name Text Box

  2. Click the Edit Button button in the same row as the new list. The Edit Exception List page opens.

    Edit Exception List Page

  3. Configure the following settings for this list:

    • Image Blurring for This List - Sets whether to blur images on the websites in this list. Select INHERIT (default) to follow the image blurring settings of the policy the list is applied to, ON to always blur images, or OFF to never blur them.

    • Filter Embedded Content - Set whether to apply filtering to embedded content on the websites in this list, such as YouTube videos, iframes, and widgets. Select ON (default) to block embedded content, or OFF to allow it.

  4. Type a URL in the Enter URL text box, click Block or Allow, then click the Add to List Button button. The URL is added to the list.

    Enter URL Text Box

Using Wildcards

A wildcard, or asterisk (*), is a placeholder representing zero or more unknown characters in a URL. Using wildcards helps you refine which URLs are blocked or allowed without listing each one individually. The position of the wildcard determines which part of the URL is variable.

Important

Entries higher on the Exception List take priority over entries below them.

Using Wildcards With URLs

There are a few rules as to where to place the wildcard to block or allow specific URLs, subdomains, or paths. Refer to the examples using apple.com below, showing how the position of the wildcard affects which URLs are matched.

  • *apple.com - Matches the domain, all of its subdomains, and all of its paths. It also matches any domain ending in the same characters, such as notapple.com. This works the same as *apple.com*.

  • apple.com* - Matches the domain and all of its paths, but not its subdomains. The domain must match exactly, so notapple.com is not matched.

  • *apple.com* - Matches any URL that contains apple.com anywhere, covering both subdomains and paths.

  • *.apple.com - Matches the domain along with all of its subdomains and paths, such as apple.com, music.apple.com, and apple.com/store. Unlike *apple.com and *apple.com*, it does not match notapple.com.

Note

Some URLs appear within other URLs - for example, go.com within lego.com, or x.com within hbomax.com. In these cases, be cautious when blocking or allowing entries with a wildcard in front of the domain (such as *x.com or *x.com*), as the pattern may match more URLs than intended.

Using Wildcards With Keywords

Wildcards can also be used to block individual keywords appearing in a URL. Wrapping the keyword in wildcards blocks any URL containing that keyword, including URLs where the keyword appears as part of another word. Refer to the examples below.

  • *game* - Also blocks URLs containing mathgames, coolmathgames, or boardgames.

  • *bet* - Also blocks URLs containing alphabet, diabetes, or sherbet.

  • *round* - Also blocks URLs containing roundabout, around, or ground.

  • *pot* - Also blocks URLs containing spot, potato, or depot.

Tip

Adding keyword wildcards to the Exception List also blocks search engine queries. When a student searches for a blocked keyword on Google or another search engine, the search URL contains the keyword (e.g., google.com/search?q=games), which the wildcard then matches.

Managing Entries in an Exception List

You can manage the entries in an Exception List by adding new ones to an existing list, changing whether an entry is blocked or allowed, or deleting it.

To manage your Exception List entries, click the Edit Button button to open the Edit Exception List page.

Edit Exception List Page
Adding Entries to an Existing List
To add entries to an existing Exception List:

  1. On the Edit Exception List page, type a URL in the Enter URL text box.

    Enter URL Text Box

  2. Click either the Block or Allow button based on your desired action.

  3. Click the Add to List Button button. The entry is appended to the bottom of the list.

Editing an Entry
To edit an Exception List entry:

  1. On the Edit Exception List page, locate the entry to edit and click the Edit Button button to the right of it. A text box opens allowing you to edit the entry.

    Edit Exception List Entry

  2. Make your changes, then click the Save button.

Changing an Entry Between Blocked and Allowed

To change an entry, locate it on the Edit Exception List page, click either the Block or Allow button to the right of it, then click the Update button to apply the change.

Exception List Entry Example
Deleting an Entry
To delete an entry from the Exception List:

  1. On the Edit Exception List page, locate the entry to delete and click the Delete Entry Button button to the right of it.

  2. Click OK in the confirmation window. The entry is permanently removed from the list.

Managing Exception Lists

You can manage the Exception Lists you created by renaming, duplicating, or deleting them. All of these actions can be performed directly on the Exception List page.

Exception List Page
Renaming an Exception List
To rename an Exception List:

  1. On the Exception List page, locate the list to rename and click its name. The list name opens in an editable text box.

    Rename Exception List

  2. Make your changes, then click the Save button.

Duplicating an Exception List
To duplicate an Exception List:

  1. On the Exception List page, locate the list to duplicate and click the Duplicate List Button button. The Duplicate List window opens.

    Duplicate List Window

  2. Enter a name for the new list in the text box, then click OK. The new list appears on the Exception List page.

Note

The duplicate contains the same entries as the original, including their order and block or allow state. The original Exception List is not removed upon duplicating.

Deleting an Exception List

Warning

Deleting an Exception List is a permanent action. Deleted lists along with their entries cannot be recovered.

To delete an Exception List:

  1. On the Exception List page, locate the list to delete and click the Delete Button button to the right of it.

  2. Click OK in the confirmation window. The Exception List is permanently deleted.

Viewing Administrator-Assigned Exception Lists

Your administrator can share their Exception Lists with you. Shared lists appear on the Exception List page alongside your own. The owner's email address follows the list name, and the row shows only the View List Button button. You can view a shared list and assign it to your policies, but you cannot change it.

Shared Exception List

To view a shared Exception List, locate the list on the Exception List page and click the View List Button button to the right of it. The list opens with its entries disabled.

Shared Exception List Entries