I’m considering switching my NowTV subscription to Netflix, but the lack of parental controls (or easily useable ones) is putting me off. My experience is limited to the app on my LG TV however, so I’m wondering if Netflix apps on other devices (Roku, Chromecast and the like) have better controls. Anyone have any experience? I can set up individual profiles, but the LG app doesn’t allow me to choose.

NowTV and Amazon let me specify a content level above which a PIN has to be entered to watch, quite why Netflix can’t do it is beyond me.

out of interest why are you moving from Now to Netflix?

I was thinking about signing up to Now (BTW 3month free pass offer for chromecast owners).

I find the streaming quality can be hit and miss (I have ~75meg fibre boradband), the movie selection is a little limited and the new movies that have been available lately have been a bit crap TBH!
Netflix seem to cater for the kids better (aside from them being able to watch horror movies if I’m not careful!).

I ditched Sky TV when I realised my kids had abandoned it in favour of Netflix: big saving!

If you are also prepared to pay 4.99 Canadian dollars per month (which is about £3.50ish I think) to Unblock-US, you can view movies from any Netflix region, which increases your choice massively. There is also a handy website, moreflicks.com, that lets you search for a movie then tells you which Netflix region is showing it.

When I log into netflix I have to choose which profile to load, mine or a predefined kids one.

Haven’t used the kids option but presume It blocks horror and boobies.

That’s on the website I presume though? I’ll be viewing through an app on the TV or other device

Shows on my ipad/iphone and also when using my youview box.

Think I also used to get the option when I was using my android phone although it’s been a few months since i swapped it out.

If you are also prepared to pay 4.99 Canadian dollars per month (which is about £3.50ish I think) to Unblock-US, you can view movies from any Netflix region, which increases your choice massively. There is also a handy website, moreflicks.com, that lets you search for a movie then tells you which Netflix region is showing it.

Why do you need to pay for that (presumably you mean over and above the normal subscription). Is that what Hola is for? You can just install it as a chrome browser.

Or do you mean when watching though a smart TV or PS3 for example?

The LG Netflix app used to just have one profile. It updated a month or so ago so that you can use multiple profiles, maybe you need to update the app, I think ours updated automatically. We have a kids profile setup, although there is no password protection on my profile, and I can’t remember if there is an option to add one. I think for the kids profile I had to set the age range and it filters the content they can see. Seems to work fine.

It is a bit odd, I have noticed the different profiles but never used them, but I have just logged onto netflix and although yes you can set up different profiles you can’t password protect them.

It is a rather bizzar way to do this, it depends on the honesty of children (and more worryingly teenagers) or only allowing supervised access to netflix, which would be pretty difficult to manage. It is hard to believe that netflix wouldn’t have a more robust system in place.

Glad it’s not just me MSP 🙂

I’ll check to see if there’s an update

Parental controls on Netflix are useless, in so much as they rely on trust – whoever logs in gets the option to go in via kids or adult account – there are no passwords required for unlimited access.

I don’t think an updated app will make any difference. I was doing it on my computer, the setup is on the netflix servers, it will make no difference what you are accessing it from.

Why do you need to pay for that (presumably you mean over and above the normal subscription). Is that what Hola is for? You can just install it as a chrome browser.

Or do you mean when watching though a smart TV or PS3 for example?

That’s right, I watch through PS3.

As an update, there’s no way to switch profiles in the Netflix app on my LG TV. For now, I have a single profile with limited access so at least the kids don’t get any surprises. Bit of a pain in the arris for me and the Mrs though, I have to change the profile on Netflix, then log the TV out and back in again so we can see grown up stuff.

Might be sticking with NowTV after all

As mentioned above, Netflix parental controls are pathetic.

You set up profiles as you know. These profiles can then be restricted to specific content.

The failing though is that a user is able to switch profile without any PIN being required!

I have my Son’s iPad set up using a profile with his name. To make it fully safe, you need to to change all profiles to have the same ‘kids’ filter. The only way to manage that though is on a browser, even mobile safari won’t let you change the settings.