Strengthening Highlights and preventing student loopholes Follow

The Google Chrome landscape is constantly changing. This page summarizes G-Suite Policies that can be utilized to strengthen your existing Highlights installation:

In this article

• Incognito mode
• Chrome task manager
• Chrome developer tools
• Force Chrome Browser login
• Browser Guest Mode
• Prevent students from using bookmarklets
• Shared Devices and Ephemeral Mode
• Block interfering URLs
• Multiple Google accounts 

Disallow incognito mode for students

Hāpara Highlights functions through a Google Chrome extension. When Chrome is in incognito mode, the browser may not load extensions. We recommend disallowing students from being able to launch Chrome in Incognito Mode to ensure the Highlights extension always available.

admin.google.com > Devices > Chrome > Settings > Users & browsers > Incognito Mode

Search for Incognito Mode and select the Disallow incognito mode option. This option can be applied to only student OUs, allowing teachers to utilize incognito mode.

Prevent students from using Chrome task manager to end processes

Students can use the Chrome Task Manager to end processes - including the Highlights extension. Hāpara recommends disabling this ability via:

admin.google.com > Devices > Chrome > Settings > Users & browsers > Task manager

Search for task manager and set the policy to Block users from ending processes with the Chrome task manager. This option can be applied to only student OUs, allowing teachers to utilize Chrome task manager.

This policy became available in August 2016 and applies to Chromebook devices running version 52 and above. This policy does not apply to Windows or Mac OS using a Chrome Browser.

Prevent students using developer tools to end processes

Students can use the Chrome Developer Tools to inspect, break and end processes - including the Highlights extension. This policy can be valuable to enable if you have Coding or Computer science courses, so disabling it completely may not be the best option for your school, so Hāpara recommends allowing use except for force-installed extensions, at the least:

admin.google.com > Devices > Chrome > Settings > Users & browsers > Developer tools

Search for Developer tools and set the policy to Allow use of built-in developer tools except for force-installed extensions. This option can be applied to only student OUs, allowing teachers to utilize developer tools.

Force student Chrome Browser login by default

By default, students are able to log into other Google Accounts within the Chrome Browser. This can enable students to avoid visibility

Using the G Suite Admin Console, an administrator can set the policy to force students to log in to their browser:

admin.google.com > Devices > Chrome > Settings > Users & browsers > Browser sign-in settings

1. To apply the setting to all users and enrolled browsers leave the top organizational unit selected. Otherwise, select a student organizational unit.
2. Locate Sign-in settings.
3. For Browser sign-in settings, select Force users to sign-in to use the browser.
4. Click Save.
   
   

Disable Browser Guest Mode

Students can log in via Guest Mode and avoid Highlights visibility if this option is enabled. Hāpara recommends disabling Guest Mode for students via:

admin.google.com > Devices > Chrome > Settings > Users & browsers > Browser guest mode

Search for the Browser guest mode and set the policy to Prevent guest browser logins. This option can be applied to only student OUs, allowing teachers to utilize Browser guest mode.

Preventing students from using bookmarklets

Bookmarklets are bookmarks stored in a web browser that contain JavaScript commands that add new features to an existing browser. These can be configured to avoid Highlights extension detection.

admin.google.com > Devices > Chrome > Settings > Users & browsers > URL blocking

Google implemented this update in April 2018 for Chromebook devices running Chrome OS version 73 and above. This policy does not apply to Windows, Mac or other devices. To update a student's Chromebook, please see the instructions here.

Shared devices and Ephemeral mode

This policy config is really helpful if your school or district has shared devices. Ephemeral mode ensures that user data is not stored locally when the user logs out, preventing Chrome Browser caching overload, which can impact negatively on extension installation for new users logging in.

admin.google.com > Devices > Chrome > Settings > Users & browsers > Force ephemeral mode

Search for the Force ephemeral mode and set the policy to Erase all local user data. This option can be applied to only student OUs, ensuring teacher's local browser data remains stored upon logout.