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Block or allow video playlists

Updated

You can block or allow access to specific YouTube playlists if:

  • YouTube is blocked, and you want to allow access to specific playlists.
  • You allow YouTube, but want to block access to specific playlists.

Alternatively, you can also block or allow specific videos.

Where the videos are blocked

When filtering is applied using On-Premise Appliance, playlists of videos are blocked everywhere.

When filtering is applied using Cloud Filter Extension, devices must use Version 3.1.0 or higher to block playlists of videos.

When filtering is applied using Smoothwall Browser, playlists of videos:

  • Are blocked when users attempt to access the video using the full URL, or on YouTube
  • Can be accessed through Google using the video ID.

When filtering is applied using Android Filter App, playlists of videos:

  • Are blocked when users attempt to access the video using the full URL.
  • Can be accessed through YouTube or Google using search or the video ID.

Manage your block and allow lists

Hybrid setups

If you have a Hybrid setup, you can manage your Categories and Web Filter Policies in either place.

On-Premise Appliance

  1. Go to Guardian > Policy Objects > Categories and select an existing Category or create a Custom Category.
  2. Select Advanced, paste the YouTube playlist IDs into the Video ID filtering field, and Save the changes. For example, in the playlist URL https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9t6_hQVM324K3FfjehcWl4doMySeTCVm the playlist ID is PL9t6_hQVM324K3FfjehcWl4doMySeTCVm
  3. Create a Web Filter policy to Block or Allow your Custom Category as required.
  4. Additional step if you block YouTube: Create a Web Filter policy for the YouTube Allowed Videos and Playlists Category with Allow as the Action. Don’t edit this category.
  5. Order the new policy above any other policies that cover YouTube.
  6. Log out of On-Premise appliance to sync your changes.

Cloud Portal

  1. Go to Filter > Custom Categories and Edit an existing category or select Add category.
  2. Go to the Videos tab, paste the full YouTube Playlist URL into the field and select +Add Video Id.
  3. In the list, you can see the thumbnail and title of the playlist.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to add another playlist.
  5. Create a Web Filter policy to Block or Allow the Custom Category as required.
  6. Order the new policy above any other policies that cover YouTube.
  7. Go to Filter > Publishing and select Publish to sync your changes.