17+ Evernote iPad App rating - Educational Issues

[TFSAK 0]

Evernote now has a 17+ rating, due to 'a built in web browser that theoretically could be used to view adult content, as such Apple requires the 17+ rating’. This being available in their new update.

 

As our Colleges 1:1 iPad programme restrict apps to a 9+ rating, these students will have it automatically removed from their device. Consequently, there is nothing that we can do to fix this issue at this point in time, and teaching staff will have issues using this app within their classes.

 

As a College, our students do not require a built in web browser, so surely educational institutions can be omitted from this update or a plug-in version provided for other users.

 

This has jeopardised our educational outcomes in subjects such as English, Mathematics and Humanities; where the students predominately use Evernote to note-take and upload their assessments.

 

Any troubleshooting or solutions would be great ASAP.

[megsaint 441]

There's no requirement that you update apps. 

 

Personally, it sounds highly restrictive that you'd prohibit 18 year olds from using a web browser. You might want to discuss this with the administration if it's creating problems teaching your classes. 

[ScottLougheed 1,316]

Other users in education have experienced this too. I highly recommend you contact Evernote support about this, since there is little we fellow users can do other than ruminate about it with you. 
 

Evernote is ultimately in a tough position because they are not the ones who set out the iOS App Store guidelines and the iOS App Store is the sole means of distributing applications to iOS devices. 

 

There are workarounds I can envision, but they would be very labour intensive for Evernote to implement. For example:

Evernote could create a specially designed Evernote client for iOS for educational institutions that lacks the browser, and therefore could have a lower rating. I honestly do not see this happening any time soon as it is heavily resource intensive from a development standpoint (thats two iOS clients to maintain instead of one), could be confusing to users, and would also likely create a higher burden on support staff (in part due to the confusion, but also because it now means troubleshooting potentially two different clients for users rather than one). 

 

Evernote could remove the browser from the iOS application, but this would hamstring any user who uses that browser as part of their workflow and would eliminate the ability to clip web pages from within the Evernote application. It also means any time a user clicks a link in Evernote they have to leave Evernote, which is not always desirable. 

 

Ideally Evernote would either find some way around the 17+ requirement in the iOS App Store, or Apple would change its regulations, or Evernote and Apple could some to some kind of special agreement. While these are technically much easier, none of them seem likely either. 

 

I still recommend contacting support. It is important that Evernote staff know about this issue so that hopefully something.... who knows what.... can be done about it, if possible. 

[megsaint 441]

On the school end, your IT department should be able to prevent access to sites the administrations deems unacceptable. 

[ScottLougheed 1,316]

On the school end, your IT department should be able to prevent access to sites the administrations deems unacceptable. 

Yes, this is true, reasonably easy if your users are connected to your institution's wireless network. If they take the units home, you could use your device management software/profile management software to require users to connect via a VPN while offsite so that the block remains in place. 

[TFSAK 0]

Thank you all, particularly Scott. 

 

megsaint: We cannot allow our students (9-12 year olds) to access this app for legal reasons, due to the current 17+ rating.

 

What is the best way to contact Evernote support? Their support form on the website seems to be very slow and crash repeatedly.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

Thank you all, particularly Scott. 

 

megsaint: We cannot allow our students (9-12 year olds) to access this app for legal reasons, due to the current 17+ rating.

 

What is the best way to contact Evernote support? Their support form on the website seems to be very slow and crash repeatedly.

Hi. I've converted your post to a support ticket. You should have received an email (check your spam box if you don't see it).

[TFSAK 0]

Thank you very much.

[megsaint 441]

 

megsaint: We cannot allow our students (9-12 year olds) to access this app for legal reasons, due to the current 17+ rating.

 

Sorry, you said "college" so I assumed 18-22 year olds. 

[TFSAK 0]

That's alright... I forgot to explain - I'm in Australia! Our College is from Foundation (prep) to Year 12.

 

I have also logged a ticket with Evernote today.