Disney+ has been one of the most popular streaming platforms over the last year. It has included films, TV series and documentaries that cover favourites, old and new. Up until a few weeks ago, the content was primarily aimed at children and young people, with most of the content being covered under the familiar Disney brand.
Now though, Disney+ has broadened their content to include more adult themed media under the banner of Disney+ Star. This new feature includes more films, TV series and documentaries aimed at more mature audiences. To work alongside these new titles the platform has enabled some privacy features which parents and carers can use to restrict certain content for younger members of the family.
Restricting Mature Content
Users can set their profiles to allow or restrict mature content on the Disney+ home screen on each profile. If they don’t want children or young people in the family to have access, then they have the option to restrict it.
This can be changed at any time. You just need to log into your account on your desktop, mobile or tablet device and choose to edit your account. In the account settings you’ll find the title of ‘content rating’.
Selecting this will present a range of ages that you can restrict the content on your account to e.g. if you want access to everything, just set it to +18. Alternatively, if you want to filter content for the family, just set it to the age rating you think is appropriate.
Adding Child Profiles
If the streaming service is being used by multiple people in the house, you may want to give each family member their own ‘profile’ so that everyone can watch independently whilst ensuring they only see the content that is right for them.
You can set up child profiles within your own account settings. If you select the ‘Kid’s Profile’ option Disney+ will automatically restrict content that is not age appropriate. As well as this, you can look to prevent young people switching to another user profile by including an exit question for them.
All profiles can also be protected by a PIN number if you choose to do so. This can add another layer of protection if you are concerned about your privacy settings or a younger family member using your profile to access more mature content or shows.
Watching Without Worry
Once you have set up your profiles and want to ensure you are comfortable with the restrictions put in place, you can look at the available titles under each age restriction.
While some titles may seem appropriate, others may not be and you might not want these to be included. Disney+ does not allow you to block individual shows so just make sure you set an age restriction that gives peace of mind.
When using streaming platforms, it is good to be aware of what shows your family enjoy. You may choose to ease restrictions as family members grow and mature, allowing them more independence as more content becomes available.
Exploring Sensitive Topics
The huge variety of content available on streaming platforms cover a plethora of topics, some being sensitive issues. If your child comes to you with a concern or wants to discuss something further, find time to have that conversation and get to the bottom of what it is they’re wanting to explore further. While these tools are great and will help you practically, sometimes children can work their way around them which is why we always advise supervising your child while accessing online content wherever possible.
If you or your child need further support, visit the support pages on Report Harmful Content to find more bespoke advice.
