How to Turn on Parental Controls on BBC iPlayer & Why You Should Do It

Parental controls on devices help parents monitor what their children watch. The internet is widely accessible today. So, accessing almost anything has become easy. It can put children at risk of coming across inappropriate content. If your family uses a BBC iPlayer, you can set up these controls through parental guidance lock.

It helps you control all that your kid is accessing on the iPlayer. The BBC iPlayer application can be used on devices like Firestick to access movies, shows, and sports. It works smoothly on this streaming device. If your child has a free BBC account, they also have free access to content. So, considering BBC iPlayer safety is crucial.

We’ll explain to you how to turn on parental controls on this on-demand service.

Enabling the Parental Guidance Lock on the BBC iPlayer TV App

Turning on the parental guidance lock is a crucial part of ensuring BBC iPlayer safety. Follow these stepwise instructions to set it up on your TV app.

1. Open the iPlayer application on your TV.
2. From the menu on the left, choose ‘Settings.’
3. After that, select ‘Settings & Help’ followed by the ‘Parental Guidance’ option.
4. Tap the ‘Set up Parental Guidance’ option.
5. You'll now see a prompt asking to confirm your age.
6. You should be at least 16 years old to set up the lock.
7. Create a password/PIN and tap ‘OK.’
8. Confirm whether your PIN is correct.
9. Select a security question according to your preference.
10. Tap the ‘OK’ button.
11. Confirm your answer to the security question.
12. When the ‘Set Up Complete’ message appears, tap the ‘Close’ button.

Where Can You Find Child-Friendly Content on the BBC?

Now that you have enhanced BBC iPlayer safety, you might wonder about some good child-friendly shows. Fortunately, there are many shows for kids that the BBC offers. They aren’t just available to users in the UK. No matter where you are in the world, your kid can watch these shows.

If you want to learn more about BBC iPlayer and how to watch it outside the UK, you must know about sideloading it. Sideloading the BBC iPlayer into a streaming device like Firestick through the Downloader will let you access all its content. Don’t forget to install a trusted VPN for a streaming device to protect your and your child’s security.

Here is a list of the best kid-friendly tools and services on the BBC.

1. CBeebies
2. CBeebies Storytime app
3. CBeebies Get Creative app
4. CBeebies Playtime Island app
5. CBeebies Go Explore app
6. Child profiles on iPlayer TV
7. CBBC, which are game challenges for kids

What If You Forget the PIN of the Parental Guidance Lock?

Forgetting the PIN or the secret answer to the parental guidance lock is common. But there’s no reason to feel anxious. If you forget the PIN, just configure it again. Before that, remove the parental lock. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Head to ‘Settings.’
2. After that, click ‘Settings & Help.’
3. Now, find the ‘Parental Guidance’ button.
4. Highlight this button, but don’t select it.
5. Next, press ‘Right’ and ‘Left’ four times each on your remote.
6. After that, choose the ‘Clear Parental Guidance’ password option.
7. Now, you can restart your BBC iPlayer application.
8. You can now set up the parental guidance lock again, thus ensuring BBC iPlayer safety for your child.

POINT TO NOTE: At any point, you can change the PIN of the parental guidance lock. Just go to ‘Settings & Help’ followed by ‘Parental Guidance.’ Here, tap ‘Change Parental Guidance PIN.’ Enter the secret answer you may have made while configuring the lock. Tap ‘OK’ and make a new PIN.

Why Are Parental Controls So Important?

The parental control settings let you regulate the content you watch. If you use BBC iPlayer in a browser or a digital device, ensuring BBC iPlayer safety is a must. Parental guidance lock lets you monitor the content watched by your child. It also lets you control what they are listening to on BBC Sounds.

The controls ensure that your child is in a safe online environment. They protect them from getting exposed to something they shouldn’t. Once the parental guidance PIN is on, the user must enter it. If they cannot, watching anything with a BBC guidance label isn’t possible.

Remember that turning on the parental guidance lock individually on every device is crucial.

A Word About Guidance Labels on BBC iPlayer

Guidance labels let users know when the content isn’t suitable for children. With guidance labels, you learn whether the content contains sex, violence, strong language, or drug use. Besides, the labels also tell you if the content is dangerous for specific viewers. An example of such content is one with flashing images.

Guidance labels are typically for TV shows aired after 9:00 p.m. If your kid has their own BBC iPlayer account, they will view another version of its homepage. It means your kid will see only those photos and programs appropriate for them. This prevents their exposure to potentially dangerous content.

Concluding Words

Considering BBC iPlayer safety for children is crucial for every parent. It is a great step towards ensuring your kid stays protected in the online world. You cannot be present all the time with them. Turning on parental controls prevents you from worrying much about what they are watching online. It ensures a safe and fun online experience for kids.