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Need to restrict internet access in your network? In this tutorial you will learn how to block websites using a free trial of BrowseControl, CurrentWare’s web content filtering software.
With BrowseControl you can...
- Block or allow websites based on URL, category, domain, or IP address
- Schedule unique internet restrictions throughout the day
- Assign custom policies for each group of computers or users, and...
- Enforce internet usage policies, even when devices leave the network
There are 3 ways to block employee internet access with BrowseControl...
- Block access to specific websites with the Block List
- Restrict internet access to only certain sites with the Allow List,
- and using the Category Filtering feature to block access to content categories such as Porn, Virus Infected, or Social Media
For complete control over internet and application use in your network, you can combine BrowseControl with BrowseReporter, CurrentWare’s internet monitoring software.
All right, let’s get started...
To begin, sign up for a free trial of BrowseControl at CurrentWare.com/Download. After filling out the form you will be provided with the files you need to get started with BrowseControl.
To install BrowseControl, run CurrentWare.exe on the administrator’s computer and follow the installation instructions; this will install the CurrentWare Console and Server.
After that, deploy the CurrentWare Client Setup file (cwClientSetup.exe) on all of the computers you would like to control.
From there you can import your Active Directory organizational units or manually create your desired policy groups.
For full installation instructions, please visit our knowledge base at CurrentWare.com/Support.
Now that you have BrowseControl installed, I’ll show you how to block specific websites based on their URL, domain, or IP address using the URL Filter.
This feature can be used to block your employees from accessing distracting websites like Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram.
- First, decide whether you want to control internet access based on users or computers and select the desired mode.
- Next, click on URL Filter then select “Blocked List”
- From the drop-down menu, select the group of computers or users that you want to restrict
- Enter the URL, domain, or IP address of the websites you want to block to the master URL list, then press the Enter key or click “Add”. BrowseControl will apply a wildcard to the URL, ensuring that any paths within the domain will be blocked as well.
- In the master URL list, select the websites you want to block for the chosen group, then click “Add to Blocked List”
- If you would like to add the selected websites to the block list of multiple groups, you can press the drop-down arrow and select “add to multiple groups”, select the desired groups, then click “add to blocked list”
- If you have a large number of websites you would like to block, you can also use the import feature to import an existing list.
- Finally, click “Apply to Clients”.
That’s it! You have now blocked your employees, students, or patrons from accessing those specific websites.
Next, I’ll show you how to restrict internet access to only certain sites.
This feature is ideal if you want to prevent your employees, students, or patrons from accessing websites that are not explicitly allowed by your organization.
The process is identical to how you would block a website, except this time you will set the internet to “off” and add the websites you would like to allow to the Allow List.
With this method, your users will only be able to access the exact websites that have been approved by your company.
Here are the full instructions
- First, decide whether you want to control internet access based on users or computers and select the desired mode.
- Next, click on URL Filter then ensure that “Allowed List” is selected
- From the drop-down menu, select the group of computers or users that you want to restrict
- Set the internet to “Off”. This will ensure that only the websites that are added to the allowed list can be accessed.
- Enter the URL, domain, or IP address of the website you want to allow to the master URL list, then press the Enter key or click “Add”. BrowseControl will apply a wildcard to the URL, ensuring that any paths within the domain will be allowed as well.
- In the master URL list, select the websites you want to allow for the chosen group, then click “Add to Allowed List”
- If you would like to add the selected websites to the Allowed list of multiple groups, you can press the drop-down arrow and select “add to multiple groups”, select the desired groups, then click “add to Allowed list”
- If you have a large number of websites you would like to allow, you can also use the import feature to import an existing list.
- Finally, click “Apply to Clients”.
Next, I’ll show you how to block websites based on content categories such as Porn, Virus Infected, and Social Media
With BrowseControl’s category filtering feature you can block billions of websites across over 100 URL categories. More than 10,000 new domains are added each day, making it simple to restrict internet access even as new sites emerge.
Here’s how:
- First, decide whether you want to control internet access based on users or computers and select the desired mode.
- Click on “Category Filtering”
- From the drop-down menu, select the group of computers or users that you want to restrict
- Select the web content categories you would like to block, then click “Add to Blocked List”
- Finally, click “Apply to Clients”.
That’s it!
The Allow List can also be used in tandem with the Category Filtering feature to allow websites that would otherwise be blocked based on their content category.
For example, you could use Category Filtering to block Social Media while still allowing access to LinkedIn.
Now that you’ve seen the 3 key ways you can block a website with BrowseControl, I’d like to show you how to restrict internet access at certain times.
With BrowseControl’s Internet Scheduler you can schedule custom block or allow lists throughout the day.
This feature will bring some flexibility to your internet restriction policies; in this example, we will allow our employees to browse the internet during lunchtime.
Here’s how to use the internet scheduler
- First, decide whether you want to control internet access based on users or computers and select the desired mode.
- Click on “internet scheduler”
- From the drop-down menu, select the group of computers or users that you want to restrict
- Click “New Schedule”
- Set the start and end time of the schedule
- Select the schedule type
- Internet on will allow internet access to all websites that are not on the URL Block List
- Custom allowed list will only allow access to specific websites
- Custom blocked list will block access to a specific list of websites and allow access to the rest of the internet
- Custom Category blocked list will block specific categories and allow access to the rest of the internet
- Set your desired schedule frequency
- Daily will enable the schedule every day during the specified time period
- Weekly will enable the schedule only on specific days of the week
- Monthly will enable the schedule only on specific months
- Click “Add Schedule”
- If you selected one of the custom block or allow list options, you can click the link provided under the “schedule type” column to set the websites or categories that you would like on the list.
- And finally, Click “Enable scheduler” if it is not already enabled
That’s it for today. If you’re ready to start blocking websites you can get a free trial of BrowseControl at CurrentWare.com/Download.
If you have any questions during your evaluation our support team is available to help you over a phone call, live chat, or email.
See you next time!
How to Block Websites With BrowseControl Web Filtering Software
Want to block distracting sites and limit adult content in your business? Learn how to block websites with BrowseControl, CurrentWare’s web filtering software for business.
Easily restrict access to distracting, inappropriate, or unsafe sites on any internet browser on Windows computers.
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How to Block Sites with BrowseControl
With BrowseControl, blocking websites is as easy as a few clicks. Website access permissions can be customized for your network based on the user or machine used to access the website, giving you a flexible solution for blocking websites across your network.
BrowseControl can provide an extension of your organization’s onsite internet usage policies to laptops and computers running outside the corporate network, giving you the option to block websites and enforce internet use policies for remote workers.
URL Filtering (Block List/Blacklist) —Block a Specific Site
This is how to block certain sites with BrowseControl.
Each website blocking mode in BrowseControl can block sites on a per-user group or per-device group level, allowing you to customize internet restrictions.
For example, you can allow your marketing department to access social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram while blocking it for the rest of your employees.
- Select the computer(s) or user(s) that you want to block from using a specific website
- Set “Internet” to “On” if it is not already on
- Go to “URL Filter”
- Add the domain URL (www.NameOfWebsiteToBlock.com) or IP addresses of the specific website you want to block for the chosen computer(s) and/or user(s). You can block as many sites as you want.
- Click “Apply to Clients” to save the blocked sites
Website Category Filtering—One Click to Block Thousands of Websites
Block websites based on content categories with BrowseControl’s category filtering feature.
More than 10,000 new domains are added each day, making it simple to block websites even as new sites emerge. Easily block distracting sites such as social media or inappropriate content such as pornography.
Unlike URL filtering where you manually block websites, with content restrictions you can restrict access based on predefined categories.
- Select the computer(s) or user(s) that you want to block from using a specific website
- Set “Internet” to “On” if it is not already on
- Go to “Category Filtering”
- Use the search bar to find the categories you want to block (e.g. “Social Media”) and add them to the Blocked Category List
Allowed List (Whitelist)—Allow Only Authorized Websites
With the Allowed List you can allow access to only certain sites or allow websites that would otherwise be blocked based on their content category.
For example, you could use Category Filtering to block websites in the Social Media category while still allowing access to LinkedIn.
- Select the computer(s) or user(s) that you would like to customize access restrictions for
- Set “Internet” to “Off”
- Go to “URL Filter”
- Add the URLs, domain, or IP addresses of the allowed websites to the Allowed List
Try BrowseControl for Free
Fully functional. Easy to use. Install in minutes.
What Makes BrowseControl the Best Internet Blocker?
Block websites with BrowseControl for full control over internet usage in your organization.
Active Directory Integration
CurrentWare syncs your Active Directory Organizational Units onto the CurrentWare Console, allowing you to immediately manage your users and workstations with the AD hierarchy that you’re already used to.
Granular Content Filtering Policies
Policies can be customized based on each user, computer, or workgroup. Easily block websites for specific groups while allowing them for others; simply add the users you would like to control to their own policy group and set the websites you want to block.
Advantageous Pricing
BrowseControl starts at $3.99 USD per licence/month. Discounts are available for nonprofits, educational institutions, MSPs/resellers, large volume purchases, and for organizations that pre-purchase multi-year plans.
Easy to Use Internet Restrictions
With BrowseControl you can block websites in just a few simple steps, allowing non-technical users to comfortably update policies. Administrator account access permissions can be customized to restrict what settings and groups trusted staff members can access.
Central Management Console
The policies are easily managed with BrowseControl’s central web console, allowing you to block websites for your entire workforce from a single console. After remotely deploying the CurrentWare clients you can manage all of your users and computers from the convenience of a web browser.
Secure Internet for Remote & Hybrid Workers
Policies are synced locally on each local computer, allowing you to continue to block websites even when they leave the network.
Configure remote connections to keep new device policies synced to your on-premises or private cloud server.
Custom Blocked Site Notifications
- Give a warning to users that attempt to access any inappropriate or unsafe websites that you want to block
- Allow users to request access to blocked websites with a link to a prefilled email template
- Customize unique blocked site pop up window notifications for each group of users or computers
CASE STUDY
Web Filtering & Internet Safety In Education
“Exposing students to the digital world comes with a responsibility
to protect them. Students love BrowseControl because it gives them a safe working environment and prevents potential bad actors from interrupting their educational experience."
How to Install BrowseControl Web Filter
Want to block a website and certain apps? Download the free trial, install the client on your users’ computers, and add the category content filters and certain websites you want to block to your company policy.
1. CurrentWare.exe: CurrentWare server & console setup file—to be installed on a manager’s local computer, server, or virtual machine
2. cwClientSetup.exe: CurrentWare client setup file—to be installed on the employee or student’s computer
Flexible Deployment Options
On-Premises | Remote Workers | Self-Managed Cloud
Download the Free Trial
Get started today with a free fully-functional 14-day trial of the CurrentWare Suite. No credit card required to sign up!
Deploy the Software
Install the Console & Server on a computer, server, or a cloud platform of your choice. Then deploy the Clients to your users’ computers.
Manage your Users
Organize your PCs/Users into custom policy groups. Get advanced awareness & control over how technology is used in your organization.
Try BrowseControl for Free
Fully functional. Easy to use. Install in minutes.
Scalable Solutions, Centralized Console, Remote Client Install and Offsite Management
CurrentWare’s software to block sites can be deployed remotely and managed from a centralized console. Whether you are a small-to-medium-sized business (SMB), a mid-market small-to-medium enterprise (SME), or a large enterprise with thousands of units to manage, BrowseControl and all of the other programs in the CurrentWare Suite offers solutions to manage all of the users and computers across your organization.
Whether you are managing 10 or 10,000 computers, you can enjoy the benefits of internet filtering with BrowseControl combined with the efficiency of CurrentWare’s centralized console to manage the internet access of your entire organization from a single machine.
Ensure your organization’s web filtering policies are enforced for remote workers. The offsite management capabilities of the CurrentWare centralized console lets you enforce your BrowseControl policies wherever your employees work.
Why Would You Want to Block Sites?
Blocking websites with BrowseControl gives you full control over internet usage in your organization.
Block Sites to Enforce Acceptable Use Policies
- Redirect users from blocked websites to your internet use policy
- Restrict access to websites with pornographic, hateful, or otherwise inappropriate content
- Combine BrowseControl with BrowseReporter to get alerts of web use policy violations
Block Sites to Improve Productivity
- Block distracting and inappropriate websites to keep your users focused on their tasks
- Schedule unique web restriction policies to provide unrestricted access during breaks
- Apply different policies for each user, computer, or group to avoid web access bottlenecks and uniquely prevent users from visiting certain web addresses
Block Sites to Protect Against Web Security Threats
- Block file downloads such as executables, zipped files, and videos from HTTP sites
- Close unused and high-risk network ports to reduce the attack surface of your network
- Block malicious and high-risk websites with our frequently updated category filtering database
Block Sites to Prevent Data Theft & Leakage
- Block unsanctioned cloud storage apps and sites to prevent employee data theft
- Block ports used for FTP, SCP, SFTP, etc. to prevent data from leaving the network
- Block other potential data egress points such as personal email platforms, social media, etc
Block Sites to Increase internet speed
- Block Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and other unproductive bandwidth hogs
- Reduce unproductive internet usage to ensure bandwidth availability for work tasks
- Selectively allow access to high-bandwidth sites on an as-needed basis.
Try BrowseControl for Free
Fully functional. Easy to use. Install in minutes.
BrowseControl Web Filtering Features
Internet ON/OFF
One click to completely block
users from browsing the web
URL Filter
Allowed list or Blocked list for
specific URLs
Category Filtering
Block websites based on specific web content categories
Internet Scheduler
Schedule internet use policies for specific times of the day
Safe Search
Search engine filters prevent explicit results in search engines
Internet Quota
Set a time-based quota for
internet browsing
Download Filter
Block files from being downloaded from the internet
Port Filter
Close unused and high-risk
TCP/UDP ports
Customize Message
Display a customized warning
message on blocked websites
Application Blocker
Block specific Windows
applications from launching
Timer
Allocate specific time for your
users to access the Internet
Stealth Mode
Restrict internet use without
altering users
Centralized Console
Manage all your users from the
centralized console with Active
Directory import or syncing
Platform Security
Protect your CurrentWare console
with 2FA, passwords, privilege
management, and more
Offsite Management
Extend onsite Internet usage
policies to laptops running outside
the corporate network
SQL Server Supported
Database scaled for enterprise and
large business operations using
Microsoft SQL Server
Try BrowseControl for Free
Fully functional. Easy to use. Install in minutes.
BrowseControl Web Filtering Software FAQ
Are There Any Limits to the Free Trial?
The free trial is fully functional. You can deploy it on up to 10 devices for 14 days.
If you need more time or more devices to properly evaluate our web filtering software solution in your organization, reach out to our team.
Here at CurrentWare we pride ourselves on our customer support. During and after your evaluation our team is here to help you over a phone call, live chat, or email. We will make sure that you get the best experience possible.
What Deals Are Available For BrowseControl?
The base price for BrowseControl is $3.99 USD per license per month.
For even more advantageous pricing on our web filtering software, we offer a variety of deals.
- Get up to 15% off with pre-pay discounts for 3-year subscriptions
- Get up to 10% off when you purchase the full CurrentWare Suite
- Non-profit and education organizations can qualify for up to 10% off
- Up to 20% margin is available for resellers and Managed Services Providers (MSP)
- Volume discounts are available starting at 100 licenses
For more information on the best deals or to request a custom quote, please contact our sales team.
Will the Software Continue to Work When My Users Leave the Network?
Yes. The client agent installed on the computers has the ability to block the internet even if it does not have a connection with the CurrentWare Server. Your off-site workers will continue to not be able to access blocked websites.
This offsite management capability makes BrowseControl the best web filter for remote workers; internet security policies will remain enforced even when employees are connected to their home network. As with on-premises workers you can block inappropriate websites, allow certain websites, and unblock websites.
The client agent stores and enforces BrowseControl’s internet restriction policies locally on the device. CurrentWare’s last known policies will continue to be enforced even if the computer loses internet connection or connects to a different network.
Note: If you wish to update policies or receive reports from client agents outside of the network they will need to be able to communicate with the CurrentWare Server.
Once a connection is reestablished you will receive your user’s internet usage data and any web filtering policy updates will take effect.
How Do You Unrestrict a Website?
To unrestrict a website that is blocked by Category Filtering, add it to the URL allow list. This will allow you to block an entire content category while selectively allowing specific websites.
For example, you can block the Social Media category while allowing access to LinkedIn.com
To unrestrict a website that is on your Blocked Sites List, simply select the user or group you would like to modify and remove the website from the Block List.
Learn More: How Do I Control Internet Access With BrowseControl?
Is BrowseControl Compatible With Google Chrome?
Yes. BrowseControl can block websites on all modern internet browsers on the Window operating system including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Safari, Opera, and Firefox. You can find the most up-to-date system requirements here.
How Do I Stop Employees from Accessing Certain Websites?
To stop employees from accessing certain websites you can add the websites you want to block to the Blocked Sites List.
If you would like to block a specific category of websites you can use the Category Filtering feature to block sites that belong to categories such as porn, social media, and virus-infected. This allows you to easily limit adult websites based on a pre-defined database of websites known to have adult content without needing to use URL blocking for blocking specific websites.
What is the Difference Between URL Filtering and Category Filtering?
URL Filtering limits access to specific web pages, IPs, and domains (websites) by comparing web addresses that end-users are attempting to visit against a database of websites that are on an Blocked or Allowed List. This is the ideal method for blocking specific websites.
Category Filtering blocks websites based on content categories such as Porn, Social Media, and Hate sites. This allows thousands of websites to be blocked without the administrator knowing their specific URL. As new websites are identified by the category filtering provider they are sorted into their respective content categories, which can be sorted through by scrolling or with the included search bar.
How Do I Block Internet Access at a Certain Time?
BrowseControl includes three features to restrict internet access to allow users to visit websites based on time – internet quota limit, internet scheduler, and internet timer.
The Timer feature allows you to turn the internet on or off after a set time limit has elapsed. Once the timer has expired, the Internet settings will return to the previous Internet mode (ON/OFF or Schedule).
The Internet Scheduler allows you to set unique allowed websites and blocked websites lists on a set schedule. This is typically used to allow employees or students access to unproductive websites during their breaks while restricting them during work periods.
The Internet Quota feature allows the administrator account to control how long users have access to the Internet on a daily basis. This allows end-users to browse the web throughout the day until their quota is reached. This feature is ideal for internet cafes and other organizations with users that do not require ongoing access to the internet.
Learn More: Using Timer and Internet Quota to Set Internet Time Limits
How Do I Unblock a Specific URL Within a Content Category?
If you would like to block a given web content category while selectively allowing access to specific sites, simply log in to the administrator account and add sites you would like to unblock to the URL Allow List.
With this method you can block the Social Media category while allowing access to LinkedIn.com or block the File Hosting category to prevent personal cloud storage use while still allowing access to sanctioned cloud storage providers.
Can I Use Your Internet Monitoring and Web Filtering Software for My Remote Users?
Yes. BrowseReporter and BrowseControl support a variety of deployment options that allow you to monitor and restrict internet use no matter where the devices are.
To use our web filtering and internet monitoring software for your remote users, you will need to configure a few settings.
As always, our customer support team is here to assist you so you can make the most out of CurrentWare; if you need assistance you can reach out to us by phone, live chat, or email.
Remote workforce management options:
- Port Forwarding: By configuring inbound port forwarding settings on your network’s router you can connect the CurrentWare Client software on your remote user’s computers to the CurrentWare Server in your network.
- Cloud Deployment: Install the CurrentWare Server on a cloud-based virtual machine and adjust a few settings to allow traffic between the CurrentWare Server and Clients.
Learn More: Block Websites for Remote Users
How Do I Block a Site on Google Chrome?
You can block websites on Google Chrome by using a compatible website blocking app such as BrowseControl.
Simply add the URLs, IP addresses, or content categories of the website you would like to block on Google Chrome to the blocked sites list.
In addition to Google Chrome, BrowseControl can block websites on all the other modern internet browsers including Microsoft Edge, Safari, Opera, and more!
What Websites Should I Block?
Which websites you should block depends on the goals of your organization.
For the best results you must ensure that the sites you block align with your organization’s goals. When you block a website you should consider the impact the blocked sites would have on your company. For example, you will want to limit adult websites to maintain a respectable work environment.
- Improve productivity by blocking distracting websites such as Facebook.
- Maintain a respectable environment by blocking inappropriate websites with explicit content such as pornography, hate, or crude humor.
- Improve network security by blocking high-risk websites such as peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, illegal streaming sites, and as many sites that are known to be malicious.
- Increase internet speed by blocking bandwidth hogs such as Netflix and YouTube.
Can I Allow Local Network Access While Blocking Internet Access?
Yes. Simply set the internet to “off” in BrowseControl to completely disable access to the internet, then add the authorized intranet sites to the Allow List using their hostname or IP address.
Learn More: Block Internet & Allow Intranet with BrowseControl
How Do I Find Out What Websites the Web Filtering Solution Has Blocked?
BrowseControl allows you to enable the logging of blocked URLs for troubleshooting purposes.
This allows you to see what websites BrowseControl is blocking, though for optimal performance it is recommended that you disable it after you have finished troubleshooting.
In addition, you can use BrowseReporter’s URL Categories Visited report to see what URLs have been visited, what category they belong to, and whether or not the user was blocked from accessing the website.
Learn More: Find Out What Websites BrowseControl Is Blocking
How Do I Disable Internet Access for my Users?
To completely block internet access, simply set the internet to “Off” in your BrowseControl web filtering settings. This will allow applications to connect to the internet while preventing your users from browsing the web.
To selectively allow or block URLs or IP addresses, add them to the Allow List (whitelist) or Block List (blacklist/deny list) of the URL filter.
To block websites based on content, add the content category you would like to block from the Category Filtering list. You can exempt specific URLs within a category by adding them to the URL Allow List.
Can I Restrict Internet Access in Citrix, Remote Desktop, and/or Terminal Server Environments?
Yes. The CurrentWare Suite is supported on desktop computers, virtual machines (VMs), and servers running modern versions of the Windows operating system.
CurrentWare is a verified Citrix Ready partner; you can install the CurrentWare Clients on your Citrix Workspace running Windows.
In addition, all CurrentWare components are compatible with Remote Desktop Services (RDS) or Terminal Servers (TS).
When restricting internet access in Citrix with CurrentWare you can block websites on PC Mode to restrict the individual Windows virtual machine or on User Mode to restrict internet access for specific employees across multiple devices and/or virtual machines.
Monitoring and managing your end-users with CurrentWare in a Terminal Services environment works similarly. The exception is that in a Terminal Server/Terminal Services environment the server will be registered as an individual endpoint; to apply granular policies for each user, department, or Organizational Unit you will need to use User Mode.
Learn More:
CurrentWare for Remote Desktop & Terminal Server
How Can I Block Internet Access for a Specific Computer?
BrowseControl allows you to assign unique web access policies for each Windows computer, user, or workgroup.
Simply add the specific Windows computer or user you would like to control to their own policy group, then use the Internet Scheduler, URL Filter, or Category Filter to block internet access. You can manually block websites, block site categories, and unblock websites as needed.
To change between users mode and computers mode, simply click the users tab or computers tab.
Learn More: How to Restrict Internet Access With BrowseControl
Can I Block HTTPS Sites Without SSL Inspection?
Yes. BrowseControl’s web filtering methods do not use SSL inspection, SSL stripping, or Transport Layer Security Inspection (TLSI) to block HTTPS sites; it simply reads what’s in the browser’s address bar, among other methods. This allows you to restrict internet access without the security risks and performance impacts of decrypting web traffic.
What is SSL inspection? SSL inspection is a process in which web filtering software decrypts, analyzes, and re-encrypts the content of encrypted websites to decide whether or not they should be blocked based on web filtering policies.
Is BrowseControl a Suitable Filtering Software For Families?
No. BrowseControl is designed for blocking sites for enterprise clients, schools, libraries, and other organizations.
BrowseControl is not a suitable filtering software for parents that want parental controls to restrict their child’s computer and internet use.
- The minimum order quantity is 10 licenses, which may not be feasible for parents with a limited number of devices for their child.
- BrowseControl web filtering software starts at $3.99 USD per license per month. While this is advantageous pricing for a business environment blocking sites for their employees, it may be cost prohibitive for parents that simply want a web filtering service for their child.
- All of CurrentWare’s solutions are developed with a businesses, schools, and similar organizations in mind. As such, our features, device settings, and development processes are not focused on managing child computer use in the way dedicated parental controls would be.
For filters that are more suited to blocking sites with explicit content for families, please see the Best Parental Controls Software reviews from PCMag.
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