The parental controls on Disney+ are getting an update as more mature content is finally being added to the family-friendly streaming service.
On March 16, Marvel’s Netflix shows like “Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones” and “The Punisher” are being added to Disney+, but the content isn’t exactly in line with the all-ages ethos of the streaming service. These shows were originally created to stream on Netflix, and thus contain profanity and more intense violence than the Marvel content currently streaming on Disney+.
So, to prevent this kind of content from being accessed by younger Disney+ viewers, all U.S. subscribers who log in on or after March 16 will be prompted to set up parental controls using enhanced content ratings, PIN protection and kids profiles. This prompt will ask subscribers if they want to raise the content rating of each profile from TV-14 to TV-MA, which would then unlock access to shows like “Daredevil” and “The Punisher.” Switching a profile’s content rating to TV-MA will require confirmation with the account password.
Subscribers can also choose to add a PIN for additional protection. If you add a PIN to a profile, access to that profile will require the specific PIN each time you log on.
If you choose to switch a profile to TV-MA, you’ll still have access to all the content on Disney+ in addition to more mature content like the aforementioned Marvel shows.
Once a content rating is applied, content made available within each specific profile via the home page and via the search functionality will be relevant for the content rating set. If no content rating is selected, the default rating applied per profile is TV-14. Account holders can change an individual profile’s content rating at any time under Profile settings, and Disney+ offers rating options that range from TV-Y all the way up to TV-MA.
Additional protection can be added to a Kid’s Profile by enabling a Kid-Proof Exit, which means that when you try to exit a Kid’s Profile you’ll be prompted to answer a specific question before you can continue.
“Disney+ has served as the home for some of the most beloved brands in the industry, and the addition of these live-action shows brings more from the Marvel brand together, all in one place,” said Michael Paull, President of Disney Streaming in a statement. “We have experienced great success with an expanded content offering on Disney+ across our global markets and are excited to continue that here in the U.S. as well by offering our consumers not only great content with the new Marvel additions, but also a set of features that help ensure a viewing experience most suitable for them and their family.”
These new parental controls theoretically open the door for Disney+ to add R-rated movies to the streaming service. Until now, R-rated content has been sent over to the streaming service Hulu (also owned by Disney) like the new releases “The King’s Man” or “Nightmare Alley,” but with the acquisition of 20th Century Fox and its library of content, there’s a wealth of adult-oriented films and TV now at Disney’s disposal.
And with new parental controls, some of those more mature films and shows can now be added to Disney+.
