When I was using iPhone, Truple technical support told me that Android would be better for their accountability software, so I eventually made the switch. I was involved in a complicated project of researching and installing Mobile Device Management software on a Samsung Galaxy phone so I could block certain recovery functions that can bypass accountability software. I have found that with the screenshot accountability Android is better, because I can have access to more content like YouTube, Google search, and Facebook, which I previously had to block with iPhone.

However, I have also found that I struggle with an addiction in using Android. I have struggles with spending excessive time texting friends. I have a craving to spend a lot of my free time texting friends. I like the comfort and relaxation it provides. I found that Digital Wellbeing built into Android's settings is very easy to bypass when setting time limits. I have also tried AppBlock to set time limits and I am impressed with its features. AppBlock prevents disabling its settings by blocking the settings app. However, I have found an easy technical way to bypass AppBlock's block on the settings app, and disable AppBlock. So in trying to use AppBlock to limit texting, I have found that my craving for texting friends will just lead me to bypass AppBlock.

When I gave up using iPhone, I lost access to a powerful tool to set time limits on apps. On iPhone, Screen Time in settings can be used to set time limits for texting, and it can be setup so that is practically impossible to bypass. I am upset about how easy it is to bypass time limits on Android. However, when I was using iPhone, I never set any time limits on texting, because there was a feature on iPhone that allowed me to view inappropriate pictures outside the allowed website list. There was no way to block this feature in the restrictions in Screen Time. So therefore, I did not set any time limits on texting in Screen Time because I thought that texting friends was a healthy distraction to prevent me from looking at inappropriate pictures. On Android I can have access to Google image search and Truple protects me, so I don't usually have trouble with it.

My struggles with excessive texting is preventing me from getting more productive activities done at times. I am wanting Truple to recognize that bad content is not the only problem, but also overuse of good content, like texting, is a problem. I recently edited my review of Truple on the Play Store to recommend developing an app blocking system to set time limits on apps. I wonder if this request is reasonable because Truple doesn't specialize in setting time limits, but their main focus is protection from inappropriate content. AppBlock specializes more in reducing screen time / setting time limits. So is it fair to ask Truple to develop the same system when there are already apps that focus on setting time limits? Well, the reason to make this request from Truple, is because they have a really good version of the Truple app for direct install on Android that has a tamper block feature, that blocks attempts to disable its settings. Because I found AppBlock easy to bypass, and Truple on my phone seems impossible to bypass, this is why I am wanting Truple to develop an app blocking system to set time limits.

I have also been submitting feedback to AppBlock, asking for them to implement an accountability feature and tamper block feature to prevent disabling its settings, similar to the features in the tamper block version of Truple. I have also been submitting feedback to Samsung, since the bypass of AppBlock is due to a system related issue on my Samsung Galaxy phone.

To describe my addiction to excessive texting, in the afternoon or evening after work, or even on weekends, I will text a lot of friends, and when I run out of people to text or get bored, I will end up mindlessly staring at my phone screen, and often going to bed extremely early (like 2 hours early). I also spend too much time scrolling through my feed on YouTube without actually watching much videos. I want to be involved in more productive activities before bed, like spending time in the Bible, or playing the guitar.

I also signed up with a landline phone service so that I can power off my Android phone, but still receive calls from my mom for urgent or important matters. I think having the phone powered off when I am at home can reduce my texting. However I have found that it is easy to forget to turn it off when I get home or to feel like leaving it on, especially if there is something I want to do on my phone. I am wondering about getting more aggressive with this addiction and turning the phone off before I drive home from work or from wherever, but if I did that I wouldn't have as easy of a way to instantly make a call if there was an emergency, but I would have to wait for it to power on.

I am also considering telling my friends not to reply to my texts except for important matters on certain days of the week.