Frequently Asked Questions

No. The Blocker works by changing one simple setting on your child's device — not your router. You point the device's DNS to our servers, and every internet request flows through Charly's filters automatically. No technical knowledge required, no router password needed, no IT support.

About 60 seconds per device. iPhone users can install Charly's DNS profile in a single tap. Android users follow a short set of steps we walk you through with pictures. Most parents are fully protected before they finish their morning coffee.

The file is called a configuration profile — it's a standard Apple technology used by schools, corporations, and VPN providers every day. Instead of asking you to navigate through six screens in iPhone Settings to manually type two DNS addresses, the profile does it all automatically in one tap. Apple designed this specifically so organizations can configure devices quickly and reliably. It's safe, it's reversible, and it takes about two seconds. If you ever want to remove it, go to Settings → General → VPN & Device Management and delete it — your iPhone returns to its default DNS instantly.

The Blocker works on any device that allows manual DNS configuration — including iPhones, iPads, Android phones and tablets, Chromebooks, Windows PCs, and Macs. It protects each device individually, so you can protect one child's phone without affecting other devices in your home.

The Blocker's DNS filtering works over Wi-Fi. When a device leaves your Wi-Fi network and uses cellular data, the DNS filtering is not active — because cellular and Wi-Fi use independent connections. However, our Device Disconnect Detection (DDD) feature alerts you immediately when your child's device leaves the protected Wi-Fi network, so you always know.

A VPN can bypass DNS-based filtering by routing traffic through a different server. This is a known limitation of all DNS-based protection systems, including The Blocker. Our recommendation: use device-level parental controls to block VPN apps from being installed in the first place. On iPhones, you can restrict this through Screen Time settings.

A determined teenager can change DNS settings back — which is why we recommend also enabling Screen Time (iOS) or Digital Wellbeing (Android) restrictions that prevent changing network settings without a PIN. The Blocker is designed to work alongside these tools, not replace them. For younger children, the DNS setting is invisible and there is no reason they would ever find it.

DNS stands for Domain Name System — it's the internet's phonebook. When your child types a website address, their device asks a DNS server what the actual address of that site is. By pointing your child's device to The Blocker's DNS servers instead of the default ones, every request passes through Charly's filters before it goes anywhere. It's like giving your child a phonebook that has already removed the dangerous numbers.

The Blocker's free tier blocks across 13 content categories including adult content, gambling, weapons, drugs and alcohol, hate speech, malware and phishing, and social media. This covers over 4.9 million domains and is active the moment you change two numbers on your child's device. No configuration required.

Scheduled access controls are on our roadmap. Today, Charly makes intelligent allow/block decisions based on your child's age and developmental stage. Time-based rules — allowing Instagram from 4–5pm on weekends, for example — are a natural next step that AgeGuard's AI foundation is built to support. We expect to introduce this in a future update.

Parent override controls are on the roadmap. AgeGuard Intelligence is designed to make smart, age-appropriate decisions — but we understand that parents always have final authority. The ability to whitelist specific sites for specific children is coming in a future release.

Apple's Screen Time controls are app-based and require Apple's own content ratings, which are often inconsistent. The Blocker works at the DNS level — below the app layer — meaning it filters content before it ever reaches the device, regardless of which app is being used. It also covers all browsers and apps simultaneously, and provides AI-powered explanations for every decision through AgeGuard Intelligence. Apple's controls tell you what was blocked. Charly tells you why.

The Blocker evaluates YouTube as a domain against your child's specific age and developmental profile. For younger children, AgeGuard may block YouTube entirely based on AAP guidelines recommending limited screen time. For older children, YouTube may be allowed with a notation in the activity log. The decision is always age-specific — not one-size-fits-all.

The site simply doesn't load — the browser shows a standard "site not found" or connection error. There is no scary warning page. The block is silent and invisible to the child. Meanwhile, the blocked attempt is logged in your parent dashboard, and Charly notes it in your Morning Report with an explanation of why it was blocked.

Every other content filter uses a static blocklist — a database of bad domains that someone decided to block. AgeGuard uses artificial intelligence to evaluate each request in real time against four established child development frameworks. It doesn't just ask "is this site bad?" — it asks "is this site appropriate for this specific child, at this specific age?" No competitor can do this. None.

When you register, you enter each child's date of birth. AgeGuard calculates their exact age and uses that to calibrate filtering across four scientific frameworks. A request that's fine for a 16-year-old may be blocked for an 8-year-old — and vice versa. The system updates automatically as your child ages, with no action needed from you.

Yes — this is one of The Blocker's most important features. Every blocked request in your dashboard includes a plain-English explanation from Charly: which framework flagged it, why it's considered inappropriate for your child's age, and what you might want to discuss with your child. No other product on the market offers this level of transparency.

AgeGuard Intelligence evaluates every request against four respected child development frameworks: Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory (is the content within the child's cognitive stage?), the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines (social media, screen time, platform recommendations), Common Sense Media ratings (advertising, trackers, commercial content), and CDC safety guidelines (health risks, adult content, safety threats). Together these four pillars cover the full spectrum of what researchers agree children should and shouldn't be exposed to at each age.

Never. The Blocker does not sell, share, or monetize your family's data. Your children's browsing activity, profiles, and personal information are used solely to power Charly's protection — nothing else. We are a subscription business. Our revenue comes from families who value the product, not from advertisers.

Yes. The Blocker is designed with COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) compliance at its core. We collect only the information necessary to operate the service — parent contact information and children's names and dates of birth for age-based filtering. Children never interact directly with The Blocker's registration or account systems.

Charly is powered by Claude, the AI created by Anthropic — one of the world's leading AI safety companies. Anthropic was founded with the explicit mission of building AI that is safe, reliable, and beneficial. The same technology trusted by doctors, teachers, and researchers worldwide is what powers Charly's decisions about your child's safety.

The Blocker's core protection is permanently free — no credit card, no trial period, no catch. This includes DNS filtering across 4.9 million domains, 13 blocked content categories, and support for multiple children. Companies like CleanBrowsing, Circle, Bark, and Qustodio charge $5–$55 per month for this level of protection. We give it away because we believe every family deserves it.

AgeGuard AI Edition at $9.95/month adds: AgeGuard Intelligence (real-time AI filtering based on your child's exact age and four development frameworks), Morning Reports (a daily summary of your child's internet activity delivered each morning), Ask Charly (a conversational AI advisor you can ask anything about your child's online behavior), and Device Disconnect Detection (instant alerts when a device leaves your protected Wi-Fi network). A 7-day free trial is included — no credit card required today.

Yes. There are no contracts, no cancellation fees, and no lock-in periods. Cancel anytime from your dashboard and your subscription ends at the close of your current billing period. Your free tier protection remains active — Charly keeps watching over your family even after cancellation.

Device Disconnect Detection (DDD) is an AgeGuard AI Edition feature that alerts you the moment your child's device leaves your protected Wi-Fi network. When a device is on your Wi-Fi, Charly's filters are active. When it disconnects — whether your child walks out of range, turns off Wi-Fi, or leaves the house — you receive an instant SMS and email notification. You always know when protection is and isn't active.

Yes. That's exactly what DDD is designed to catch. The moment a device stops communicating with The Blocker's servers — whether because Wi-Fi was turned off, the device left the house, or the child is somewhere outside your network — you receive an instant alert. You don't need to wonder. Charly tells you immediately.