So, what can you do about it? Use parental controls to make sure they are watching content which is appropriate for their age. In today’s guide, I will cover some of the most popular video streaming sites and show you how to make it “kids friendly” by setting parental controls.
How to Set Parental Controls on YouTube
If you don’t know it yet, there is a YouTube app just for kids. Yes, YouTube Kids is available on iOS and Android platforms. This was a smart move on part of Google because now, I can simply lock/passcode protect the YouTube app forcing the kids to use YouTube Kids. It comes with parental control and filters enabled. It is worth noting that YouTube Kids features content specifically targeted at kids in music, education, and other categories. Other features include a timer for screen time, disabling search function, and limited ads. Still, if you want to block adult content on the YouTube app, there is a way. Follow these steps: Launch YouTube in your favorite browser and sign in. Click on your profile pic on the top right and select Restricted Mode.
This will open a drop-down menu with a single toggle option and a message. It will tell you what restricted mode is and how it works. Pretty simple stuff. There is also a disclaimer that basically protects Google in case something slips. Click the toggle button.
A simple adult-related search on YouTube confirms that the settings are working as they should be. If you are using iOS, click on your profile and under Settings, you will find the Restricted Mode toggle button. For Android users, the option can be found under Settings – General.
Lock YouTube Restricted Mode
Wait, that was too easy. The kids could just turn it off again. To counter this issue, Google provides a lock feature. Simply sign out of your YouTube account in the browser/app and the settings will be locked. Note that settings are browser-specific, so you will have to repeat it on every browser. Also Read: Top 5 Parental Control Apps For Android
How to Set Parental Controls on Netflix
Netflix takes a different approach. There are soft controls and then there are hard controls. Under the soft controls, Netflix will allow you to have multiple profiles and set maturity levels for each individual profile that will determine the content you can access. There are four types: Here are the steps: Go to Netflix and sign in. You will see a screen like this. Click on Manage Profiles.
The Kids profile comes default, but you can make changes as necessary. Click on the Kids profile which should now show an edit button.
Under Allowed TV Programmes and Films, you will see two options: For little children only and For older children and younger. The first is for really small children who are into animated stuff while the latter is good for teens who can watch Stars Wars and Harry Potter movies. Play around and see which one suits you best. When done, click save and in the next screen, click Done. Note: Did you noticed the Child option? Clicking on it will restrict all content that is not safe for children under 12 years of age.
You can also monitor what your kids are watching on Netflix by viewing their activity. To do this, go to Account and scroll to the bottom where it says My Profile. Click on Viewing Activity.
This will show you a list of all the shows and movies that your kids have watched. Soft controls allow your kids to watch content that is suitable for them. But things can still slip through the cracks which is where the hard controls come in. Also Read: How To Watch Netflix Together With Remote Friend (Android | iOS) The hard control will allow you to set a pin code to access an account that allows access to mature content. To set up Netflix hard controls, which is what I recommend over the above solution, you will need to open the site in your browser. This doesn’t work on the app. Go to Account and scroll down to Settings where you will see an option Parental Controls. Click on it.
You will be asked to enter your Netflix account password. Do it and click Continue.
You can now enter a four-digit numerical profile passcode. You can also set content that will be available without the need for a password.
Click Save. Your kids can now only access content that is deemed appropriate for them based on ratings like R, PG, PG-13, TV-14, and so on.
How to Set Parental Controls on Hulu
Hulu to trying hard to be the next Netflix. It has some great content to offer. Setting parental controls on Hulu is easy because there are not enough options anyway.
Hulu clearly states that access to content is based on the age that you have entered in your account profile. You cannot access mature content if you are under 17 years old. While this may work, this is not enough. How hard is it to change age in your profile? Hulu suggests you create a new profile for your kids with the right age restriction in place. If you are a Hulu Plus subscriber, there is a Hulu Kids section you can explore. Log in to your Prime account, click on your profile, and select Accounts and Settings.
There are different tabs. Click on Parental Controls where you can manage everything under a single roof. More organized and easy to access.
The next option is Viewing Restrictions which will let you set an age limit for the type of content your kids can view. To access these videos, you will have to enter the pin you set up above. There are five categories: Kids, Older Kids, Teens, Young Adults, and Adults. The number on the left represents age.
There is a link below that explains how age restriction works and maturity ratings are calculated. Since every country has their own governing body, read what applied to your country. If your kid is using a different device than you are, Prime has an additional option to block certain devices. This option lies just below Viewing Restrictions. Just untick any device you don’t want to allow access to. In the end, there is a Watch History tab that works like Netflix where you can keep tabs on what your kids were watching when you were gone. Unlike Netflix, these settings can be changed via the app.
How to Set Parental Controls on Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is one of the newer kids on the block but it doesn’t shy away from taking responsibility. If you have kids who watch Apple TV+, you can set a limit for which movies and TV shows they can watch. The best part is that you can adjust this setting for every device and retain full control on the others. The process of restricting the content is similar on all the devices so I’ll just be showing the process on a web browser. Go to the Apple TV website and log in by clicking the Sign in button on the top right.
After you’ve logged in, tap the Profile icon on the top right of the page and select Settings.
Once you’re on the Settings page, scroll down and find restrictions. You can set restrictions for Apple Music, TV Shows, and Movies separately. After making the changes they won’t be able to access the content apart from the assigned age.
To make things more secure, this interface can be locked behind a 4 digit passcode which would prevent the kids from bypassing this setting. You can change that password by following this link.
Wrapping Up: How to Set Parental Controls on Video Streaming Sites
The reason I covered these four sites is that they are currently some of the most viewed on-demand video content platforms that are a hit with the kids and adults alike. Let us know what you think in the comments below, or if you have a question.
