How safe is Netflix with ads for your children

With arriving on Netflix, families can now enjoy their favorite movies and shows through a more affordable plan. But how safe is this for the little viewers? As parents shift towards this budget-friendly plan, many questions have surfaced about the effect advertising will have on children’s watch time. As great as Netflix’s built-in parental controls are, issues multiply with ads as kids are exposed to much more than what a family permits in terms of films. In this review, we will discuss here how Netflix with ads works, its pros and cons for a family, and how to enable safe viewing for the little ones by using parental controls and third-party apps.

Using this information, parents can make the right choices so that their children enjoy Netflix without any harm and at a good price. Let’s begin!

What is Netflix with Ads?

Recently, Netflix introduced a lower-priced option for subscription known as “Netflix with ads” that allows customers to enjoy their favorite TV shows and movies at a lower cost. This version contains short commercial breaks before and during the content, making it possible for viewers to access a significant portion of Netflix’s library more affordably.

However, this ad-supported plan raises several concerns about safety, particularly for younger audiences. Ads can introduce exposure to additional content that extends beyond traditional Netflix controls, meaning kids might encounter these ads even when viewing family-friendly shows.

For parents, understanding the full scope of what “Netflix with ads” entails, including the types of advertisements shown and their possible impact on children, is crucial. There’s a lot to know about how advertising functions on Netflix and its implications on children’s viewing experience before any parent considers this option for their family.

How does Netflix’s ad-supported plan work?

Netflix also came up with an advertisement-supported plan, the “Basic with Ads,” which would enable customers to access the service at a budgeted price. The concept here is that advertisements will be shown to reduce the subscription price. Here’s how Netflix’s ad plan works:

• Setup. Users opt for the “Basic with Ads” plan when signing up. This tier is also overtly labeled as being an ad-supported tier and is priced at a lower tier than many other tiers of Netflix.
• Content Streaming. Most of the available titles are covered by a subscriber’s right to browse and stream; however, many titles are locked through licensing agreements, meaning only available through an ad-free plan. Locked titles are marked with a “lock” icon.
• Ad Placement. Each time a viewer plays a movie or show, ads appear at intervals. Most ads play usually for 15 to 30 seconds and appear at the beginning of the content and also appear in the middle of the show or movie. Netflix restricts the ad timing to around four to five minutes of ads every hour so that these interruptions may not happen too frequently.
• Video Quality. It’s an ad-supported plan that streams in 720p HD just like Netflix’s base plan. Therefore, the resolution will be the standard definition but lower than full HD or Ultra HD on other plans.
• Offline Not Included. Downloads will not be available on this tier like the other ad-free versions of Netflix. Instead, one will only be able to stream shows and movies over a connection to the internet.
• Country Availability. Currently, Netflix’s ad-supported plan is available in some limited countries. For instance, it is accessible in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia. Availability differs depending on the location of the end-user.

Is Netflix with ads safe for children?

The introduction of “Netflix with ads” has raised concerns among parents. They worry about the safety for younger viewers. Despite Netflix’s maximum parental controls, the ad-supported tier adds complexity. Children may encounter advertisements during their favorite shows or movies. Unlike Netflix content, these ads may not be suitable for younger audiences. Children may view ads that are not family-friendly.

At the same time, it is critical to note that while making all efforts to ensure the ads are relevant and as safe as possible, the filtering of ads by age is not as sharp as filtering the general viewing content of the platform at times. This sometimes allows the occasional exposure to themes that are appropriate for a general audience but may not be suitable for one under age.

Parents can limit access to certain types of content through parental controls that are installed with the Netflix platform. Alternatively, the Kids Profile setting on Netflix limits access to shows and movies with age-appropriate content, hence limiting the number of ads that may appear in other sections. Overall, it is cheaper to have Netflix with ads. However, parents need to determine whether Netflix with ads is safe for their children.

What age is Netflix kids profile for?

The Netflix Kids profile is prepared for the youngest viewers although it is more recommended for children 12 or under. This selected profile contains a list of age-compatible content viewed only by kids. Instead, Netflix offers its users a rating system that filters maturity levels to ensure the kids stay in a safer environment whereby they can potentially view any family-friendly entertainment without trying to view content now suitable for them.

Did Netflix say no to advertising in kids programs?

Yes, in deciding to leave out ads on their ad-supported plan for some content, Netflix purposefully kept out children’s programs, as well as new movies. This makes kids’ shows and movies commercials-free; it will let them not see ads. It is supposed to exclude some materials so that the viewing experience becomes safer for young audiences, where parents can feel more secure about what their kids might encounter on-screen.

Like new movies, for Netflix, the choice of keeping them ad-free, especially on launch day is also in the cards. This is because Netflix wants to have the viewing experience of a film without disruption by ads while still on a viewing spree. Movie studios and filmmakers in general want their new releases to be ad-free to ensure that no intermission breaks into the flow of storytelling and hence viewership.

Use parental controls to ensure that Netflix with ads remains safe for children  

A much simpler way to protect the viewing experience for your child is to create a Kids Profile. A Kids Profile is exclusively made for children up to 12 years of age. This automatically filters content so it only shows age-appropriate movies and television shows for kids. Creating a Kids Profile further adds a simplified user interface, together with the restriction of access to settings on your machine. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Set up maturity ratings. Parents can manually set maturity ratings for all the profiles on their account for greater control.
2. Use profile lock. Netflix offers the possibility of locking specific profiles with a PIN code.
3. Include restriction on view. Parents can use their parental control to block specific titles that they don’t want their child to watch.
4. Review watching activity. Netflix has a “viewing history” on every profile, so you can see what your child is watching at any given moment.
5. Turn off autoplay previews. While this isn’t exactly a feature of parental control, disabling autoplay previews does reduce the accidental exposure to trailers or previews of mature themes in shows.

How to set up parental controls on Netflix?

To set up parental controls just access your account through the web browser and go to Account Settings, where you will find Profile & Parental Controls. You can then choose the profile you want to control. Then you can put up a PIN lock for adult profiles, maturity ratings control, and restriction of specific titles.

Managing kids’ profiles on Netflix

One can control the kids’ profile by moving to Account Settings and clicking on the child’s profile on Profile & Parental Controls. Users will be able to customize settings on maturity ratings and also to block particular shows. You’ll also be able to turn off autoplay previews and set a PIN lock on adult profiles, so your kid is really staying well within the bounds of the Kids profile. So you’re pretty relaxed handing over the reins of Netflix viewing to your kids, even on the ad-supported plan.

Comparing ad-Free vs. ad-supported plans

Choose between Netflix’s ad-free and ad-supported plans depending on your family’s viewing requirements. Netflix with ads features short ads, before and while shows are playing, so it is about four or five minutes per hour.

The ad-free option allows for uninterrupted streaming. Other differences feature content availability: some shows, movies, and downloads for offline streaming are not available on the ad-supported plan due to licensing.

Using parental control apps for added safety

Netflix’s ad-supported plans come with parental controls, but apps like FlashGet Kids provide even more robust monitoring. FlashGet Kids is a popular choice among parents because it allows real-time tracking of what kids are watching. This extra layer of protection is especially helpful now that ads are part of the streaming experience, giving parents more control over what children see. FlashGet Kids goes beyond basic Netflix Kids features, providing parents with full control over their children’s viewing activities.

Screen time management is another valuable feature of FlashGet Kids. Parents can set daily viewing limits or schedule breaks to ensure a healthy balance between screen time and other activities. For families using ad-supported Netflix, these controls help maintain a safe, age-appropriate environment for young viewers.

Conclusion

The lower-cost option of Netflix with ads is appealing, but it brings added safety concerns for children. While Netflix includes parental controls in its Kids profile, apps like FlashGet Kids can provide optimal monitoring. These tools allow parents to manage screen time, block inappropriate content, and supervise viewing habits. With these apps, families can enjoy the benefits of an affordable Netflix plan while ensuring a safe viewing experience for kids.

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