Kids See The Darndest Things (Here’s What To Do About It)

 

Summer is almost here, and the living is easy. That’s what your kids are thinking, anyway. With the school year coming to a close, children’s’ thoughts are turning to bikes and balls, pools and parks, and of course that most favored activity of all – watching TV.

sets, actually using the V-Chip is not always an entirely user-friendly experience. For example, if you are one of those people who still has the time flashing on their VCR and has no idea what to do about it, setting up your V-Chip rating limits is going to be severely challenging. Open your Owner’s Manual, and take your best shot.

Thankfully, there is some technology available to make  the process not only easier, but a lot more flexible. Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) such as TiVo and ReplayTV both have excellent parental control interfaces, but in my opinion, their options pale in comparison to the parental control features in Windows XP Media Center.

As I describe in my new book, The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Windows XP Media Center Edition (Que Publishing, 2004), Media Center lets you to choose from seven levels of TV content ratings, starting with None (which blocks all rated shows), and then ranging from G (for general audiences) to TV-MA (only for “mature” audiences age 17 or above). In addition, you can set individual rating levels for different types of programs, media and “objectionable” content.

For example, you can set specific limits on TV programming, as well as on movies and DVDs that are viewed using your Media Center PC – ranging from G to X. Using the Advanced TV Ratings screen in Media Center, you can set individual levels for the following categories of video content: fantasy violence, suggestive dialogue, offensive language, sexual content, and violence.

Want more options? You can also specify different rating levels for different users. By setting up multiple user accounts on your Media Center machine, you can set a base level of acceptable programming options for younger children, and more relaxed limits for older siblings or adults.

Whether you use your V-Chip, set-top box, DVR or Media Center PC, viewing limits are valuable tools that all parents should take advantage of. However, they are not a silver bullet for preventing kids from seeing things on TV that could embarrass or even traumatize them. As I say in the book, “No parental control mechanism is foolproof. Remember that the best way to protect children from inappropriate content on TV or the Internet is to help them become `street smart.’ Tell them what you think is inappropriate for them, and make sure they know that anytime they see or hear something that makes them feel uncomfortable, they should immediately turn the machine off and/or tell a trusted adult.”

If you’d like more information on raising “street smart” kids in the Internet Age, check out the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Web site for children at www.netsmartz.org.

In addition, for parents who don’t think that TV and movie rating systems go far enough, there are additional devices to protect sensitive ears and eyes:

· The TVGuardian monitors your TV’s closed-captioning signal and compares the words to a database of over 100 words and phrases. When an offensive word is detected, it temporarily mutes the sound and displays some alternative text on the screen. Settings range from “strict” to “tolerant. The company has also licensed its technology to Sanyo and Fisher for use in DVD players.

· ClearPlay DVD Players use a subscription model to allow parents to install digital “filters” for popular movies. The company distributes the filters on disk, and they are stored in the DVD player, ready to pounce on bad language, sexual or violent content before it is displayed on the screen.

· Weemote  is a child-friendly programmable remote control that allows parents to block unwanted channels.

 

Some of these gadgets may seem like ethical overkill to many of us, but bear in mind that we live in a day and age where beheadings and other heinous acts are sometimes televised in whole or in part, and even Super Bowl halftime shows have been known to contain full frontal nudity.  Watching TV can be a fun, recreational and even educational experience for children, but as in many parts of their lives, they need the guidance and attention of responsible adults. Parental controls and filtering devices can be another way of showing that you care.

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What do you think? Address your e-mail to steve@TVTechToys.com

 

That’s why it’s a good time to think about exercising some parental control over the ol’ boob tube.

In addition to setting limits on how and when you want your kids to park themselves in front of the little screen, it’s important to make sure that they are only viewing the shows that you feel are age-appropriate. Using the parental control features built into your home electronics is the best way to ensure that those limits stay in effect – even when you aren’t physically in the room with them.

There are a variety of devices that allow you to set up parental controls. All essentially let you restrict access  to programs with certain rating levels -- unless the viewer has the right access code or PIN number.

The first line of defense is the V-Chip. This technology is legally required in every 13-inch or larger TV manufactured since January 1, 2000, by decree of the Federal Communications Commission.

While it’s a great idea to provide built-in controls in all TV