Netflix is planning to add stricter parental controls, making the service easier to control for the parents and safer for kids. While a Kids section already exists on the service, parents will now be able to block individual shows and movies.
These programs can be protected via custom PINs, which will be required for starting these shows. Previously, users could set PIN codes on shows which were above a certain maturity level, for example, allowing specific users to view only PG-13 or lower shows.
Netflix Parental Controls
The maturity levels themselves will be shown properly before the start of each program. Netflix is also working on ways to make sure people understand the maturity levels better. The new custom PIN feature will be rolled out to users in the next few months worldwide.
Not The First
This move is yet another in the series of child-focused changes and updates by companies to make their services safer for underage consumers.
YouTube Kids
YouTube, in particular, has taken serious flak in recent times, after the inappropriate behavior of some of its biggest stars. It has penalized those celebrities several times, however, these measures have been far from enough.
Messenger Kids
Not only that, Facebook has also come under fire for releasing Messenger Kids to underage users.
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Despite claims of making the app safe for minors, several groups such as Commercial-Free Childhood have vocally voiced their concerns over the kind of environment apps such as Messenger Kids expose their users to.
So, while Netflix’s move may not mean much in the overall scheme of things, it is a step in the right direction for the industry overall.
