Fastmail app breaks if you use iOS Web Content Restriction

fastuser2015 · 4 May 2023, 09:45 PM

Odd issue, pretty sure it's a bug in the latest iOS that completely blocks the Fastmail app from working.

To reproduce:

Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Content Restrictions > Web Content and set the Web Content restriction to be any available option other than "Unrestricted"
Wait a couple of mins for the restriction to apply (Screen Time is clunky even when it's working)
Quit the Fastmail app (as you may be looking at cached data) and relaunch it. It will load a blank page, with no error.
You will also find that going to https://app.fastmail.com/ via Safari loads a blank page with no error message. Normally, if a site has been blocked by a Web Content restriction, a prompt to allow the site would be shown.

Explicitly adding https://app.fastmail.com/ to the Allowed sites list doesn't work, the only way to make things work is to set Web Content to Unrestricted.

Obviously this is an Apple problem, but it would be a nice touch if the Fastmail iOS app could detect a problem like this and show an error, rather than a blank page.

n5bb · 5 May 2023, 12:48 AM

Thanks! I verified your results and just filed a Fastmail support request. iOS just received an update to iOS and iPadOS 16.4.1 (a), and it was the first "Rapid Security Response" prioritized update. If the issue just started within the past day or so, the (a) update was probably the cause.

Bill

n5bb · 5 May 2023, 04:30 AM

I quickly (less than 30 minutes) received a nice response from Fastmail to my support request. I was at lunch and otherwise busy and just noticed the response:

Quote:

Hello Bill,

Thanks for reaching out to Fastmail support! I'm happy to help.

Our developers have identified that this is due to Apple misclassifying Fastmail as an adult website in iOS 16.4. Users with "Content & Privacy Restrictions" enabled are experiencing a white screen when accessing Fastmail via the mobile app or browser on their mobile devices.

We have filed a report with Apple to address this bug. Unfortunately, because the solution depends on a third party, we do not have an ETA as to when it will be resolved.

As you've noted, the workaround for now is to disable "Content & Privacy Restrictions," and if that doesn't work, disabling "Screen Time" should allow you to access the Fastmail app as usual.

We also encourage affected customers to file feedback with Apple, either by leaving Product Feedback or posting in the Apple Support Community.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please let me know and I'll be happy to help.
Cheers,
George

n5bb · 5 May 2023, 04:57 AM

Now I have made a trouble report to Apple and posted in the Apple Support Communities about this issue.

Bill

fastuser2015 · 5 May 2023, 05:26 PM

Brilliant. Thanks Bill. Great stuff, hope they fix it soon.

chrisjj · 24 May 2023, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by n5bb

Apple misclassifying Fastmail as an adult website in iOS 16.4

I don't see why that's a misclassification. Given the Fastmail website can deliver adult material.

Not that I agree with the blocking, mind.

hadaso · 24 May 2023, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisjj

I don't see why that's a misclassification. Given the Fastmail website can deliver adult material.

Not that I agree with the blocking, mind.

If they don't classify gmail.com and hotmail.com apple mail and every other email service, that all offer this capability to deliver adult material, then it's a misclassification.

chrisjj · 25 May 2023, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hadaso

If they don't classify gmail.com and hotmail.com apple mail and every other email service, that all offer this capability to deliver adult material, then it's a misclassification.

Whether the FM site is a misclassification depends on the class definition, not on how it has been applied to other sites.

If the class definition means website that can deliver adult content then, FM has been correctly classified and all the others incorrectly.

Ken7 · 10 Oct 2023, 05:30 AM

Has there been any update on this?

Even though I have everything posted above turned off, I still have a blank screen on the Fastmail app quite a bit. I have to delete and reload the app and it works for a while. I have been having this problem with my iPhone and iPad even after running all the latest updates. This is very frustrating.

4 May 2023, 09:45 PM	#1
fastuser2015 Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 31	Fastmail app breaks if you use iOS Web Content Restriction Odd issue, pretty sure it's a bug in the latest iOS that completely blocks the Fastmail app from working. To reproduce: Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Content Restrictions > Web Content and set the Web Content restriction to be any available option other than "Unrestricted" Wait a couple of mins for the restriction to apply (Screen Time is clunky even when it's working) Quit the Fastmail app (as you may be looking at cached data) and relaunch it. It will load a blank page, with no error. You will also find that going to https://app.fastmail.com/ via Safari loads a blank page with no error message. Normally, if a site has been blocked by a Web Content restriction, a prompt to allow the site would be shown. Explicitly adding https://app.fastmail.com/ to the Allowed sites list doesn't work, the only way to make things work is to set Web Content to Unrestricted. Obviously this is an Apple problem, but it would be a nice touch if the Fastmail iOS app could detect a problem like this and show an error, rather than a blank page.

5 May 2023, 12:48 AM	#2
n5bb Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: May 2004 Location: Irving, Texas Posts: 8,929	Thanks! I verified your results and just filed a Fastmail support request. iOS just received an update to iOS and iPadOS 16.4.1 (a), and it was the first "Rapid Security Response" prioritized update. If the issue just started within the past day or so, the (a) update was probably the cause. Bill

5 May 2023, 04:57 AM	#4
n5bb Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: May 2004 Location: Irving, Texas Posts: 8,929	Now I have made a trouble report to Apple and posted in the Apple Support Communities about this issue. Bill

5 May 2023, 05:26 PM	#5
fastuser2015 Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 31	Brilliant. Thanks Bill. Great stuff, hope they fix it soon.

10 Oct 2023, 05:30 AM	#9
Ken7 Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 91	Has there been any update on this? Even though I have everything posted above turned off, I still have a blank screen on the Fastmail app quite a bit. I have to delete and reload the app and it works for a while. I have been having this problem with my iPhone and iPad even after running all the latest updates. This is very frustrating.