Supervise device without erasing data?

Question

stilakid OP

Created Feb ’24

Replies 2

Boosts 0

Participants 3

Hello!

I made an iOS app for a research study that blocks network connections with certain websites. I need to block around 2000 web domains. To achieve this, I had two options:

Use Screentime API
Use Network Extension

Screentime API has a limitation that limits the number of websites it can block to 50 (https://developer.apple.com/documentation/managedsettings/webcontentsettings/blockedbyfilter-swift.property).

The Network Extension on the other hand requires my device to be in supervised mode, which as I understand it, involves erasing the data on the phone and resetting it.

Hence, I am here to ask if there is a way to do this without erasing user data when setting the device into supervised mode.

Also, I am open to hearing any other alternatives I could pursue. Thanks!!

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Answer 1

DTS Engineer OP

Apple

Feb ’24

I can’t answer your supervised device questions, because device management isn’t really my field [1]. However, I can speak to the NE side of this. You wrote:

I made an iOS app for a research study that blocks network connections with certain websites.

What’s your audience for this study? If it’s very limited, you may be able to use development signing. Non-supervised devices allow development-signed apps to enable an NE content filter.

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Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
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[1] My understanding is that this isn’t possible, but you really need someone who knows more about this to confirm.

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Answer 2

Device Management Engineer OP

Apple

Feb ’24

Supervising a device requires erasing the device.

Supervising the personal devices of research subjects would be inappropriate. Supervision grants to the organization the highest level of device management capabilities to an administrator. Some of those capabilities reveal data to the organization. This is fine for organization-owned data, but a grave privacy issue for personal data. Erasing a device when supervising it ensures that there is no personal data on the device.

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