Turning off the content filter on Orange UK
In the past few weeks, I’ve spent a vast number of hours in the car as a passenger – mostly on the M25, completely stationary, desperately looking for a source of entertainment. You can only spend so long counting red cars, changing CDs and playing “I spy…” before getting a bad case of cabin fever.
So I thought I’d browse a few of my favourite blogs on a borrowed Orange mobile, instead of my usual T-Mobile web’n'walk, but came to the realisation that my usual reads were blocked. No bloglines, Seth Godin or access to my own blog either. I appealed with Orange that the sites should be reviewed as, surely, I wasn’t posting lewd “adult content” by Orange’s definition. All requests were turned down!
While on the road, without an account number at hand, Orange customer service could not make the change for me and I was unable to turn off Safeguard and resume regular surfing. I was destined to be limited to a few websites until I returned home. It was a looong journey…
Now, I’m not picking on Orange – It just happens to be the only one I’ve had problems with. I’m clearly not the only one getting annoyed with networks defaulting users to being mobile-nanny’ed.
While it’s fair enough that users known to be underage are limited to a range of websites – since parents aren’t able to view browsing history or set parental control as one would on a desktop computer – it’s impractical and annoying for the rest of us mobile surfers.
Once I returned to a desktop computer, it was a doddle to turn off Safeguard. If you’re with Orange, you can follow the steps below to do the same.
Turning off Safeguard on Orange
- Log in to your Orange account
- Either sign-in using your mobile number and password, or
- Register to access your account details online
- Enter your mobile number and click the radio button saying “I don’t have a password and would like to register”
- If you have your mobile with you, Orange will send you a text message containing a short code which will confirm the mobile is in your possession
- Once you’ve logged in to your account, you’ll find the adult content settings under Your Details
- Select “Change” at the bottom of the page to change your settings.
Congratulations, you’ve turned off Orange Safeguard and can now browse freely!
If you’re with a different operator, why not contribute by telling us how you’ve done it or what limitations you face by default? Do they bother you or are the websites you need already whitelisted?
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August 15th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
with vodafone you could have popped into any of their shops and they could have done it for you there. Or via Web, or WAP.
May 30th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
I’m with orange and when i tried this it didnt work. i registered and went through all the work and in the end it said ‘unable to do online, phone customer services’ and i tried again and again and again
May 30th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
but it didnt work. any other ‘bright ideas’?
June 29th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
lol, i agree with samina, vero is completely wrong with their account of how to turn off the content filter, and has obviously just dreamed up this solution
July 1st, 2008 at 7:27 am
Rob, Samina: It’s quite possible that the best way to do it has changed in the past year. I’ll investigate and update this post when I get a chance
July 10th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
The easiest thing to do if u want to bypass safeguard is to download Opera Mini,this lets u access the whole web without getting that annoying orange safeguard page slapped in ur face..hope this helps
September 8th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
yeah i just d’loaded opera mini . . better to surf with and no orange safeguard . . my problem now is ive connected to my fone to my pc . . now im having the same problem with safeguard and they said i need i.d to turn it off n i aint bloody got none! lol
December 13th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
hey if u want to by pass orange safe gaurd download opera mini for free there is no block on it so u can go on any site u want and u get free downloads thanks for reading and merry xmas
January 11th, 2009 at 12:05 am
i have opera mini for my fone.. works a treat for orange safeguard but…
any1 know why?? and is there anty way of turnin safeguard off WITHOUT havin to use a credit card? i am 18 but seriously.. how many 18 year olds do you see with a flamin credit card??!!! rediculous lol
i also downloaded opera for my pc cuz i use my fone as a modem but opera browser DOESN’T overwrite orange safeguard as it does with my fone
thnx
February 9th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Hi There Im Levi and i am 12 i like porn but my phone dont let me u se 18+ stuff (Orange)
So Order 1-4 SIMs for free say your big bro or sis(Even if u dont have 1) has gone out and they want it done whikle there gone.
Then say that they are over 18 ande set up the account
What is did was this…
Called up and sed ,…
hi could i register a sim card please thanks it is my big brothers he’s just
GOT HIS FRIENDS OLD PHONE
he is out at the moment he left me his details and he
sed he wants it done by thursday because he is going away
Name: Surname:
Fake/Real DOB: / /1991
Postal Code
Imei: Use an old fone 1 if u have 2
SIM NO::: SIM no That u brought
February 9th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
wow,it worked and was suprisingly very easy to do.
log in to your account,click on my details,orange safeguard,confirm you wish to access 18 rated sites,recieve text message for confirmation,turn phone off the on again,done.
thanks alot for this guide. i was getting really frustrated with the fact that i pay monthly,i am 22 and i was being patronised every time i used the internet.
March 7th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
wot a load ov bull
im 19 and i rang up loads of times and they say pleae go in 2 a orange shop coz we cant do it. whats the sence i might as well just go on a different network coz orange is starting to crap
March 18th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
It didn’t work. I have tried and tried and it will not let me turn off orange safeguard over the internet. How do i do it?
May 17th, 2009 at 3:33 am
well i have just changed mine , i am a pay monthly customer , maybe those on pay monthly are seen as over 18 as you have to be to start a contract.
September 7th, 2009 at 2:05 am
Another way of doing it is if you phone support WIFI, pop the sim out turn the phone on and connect to a wifi connection and boom your now not running though ornages shit safeguard protection crap
September 11th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Easiest way is using Google translate or such like as a proxy. Enter the url you can’t get due to safeguard, and translate English to English. Done!
October 19th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
After ive registered and all that it says i need to enter a 4 digit ID code ( i dont know it?)
October 28th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
a have tried that and it aint wurkin x