TL;DR: The "I have 5 minutes" version
If you’re short on time because a toddler is currently using your leg as a climbing wall, here’s the high-level:
- The "Kids" profile is a suggestion, not a lock. Without a PIN on your adult profile, your 7-year-old is two clicks away from watching Squid Game.
- PIN-protect your profile on Netflix, Disney+, Max, and Hulu.
- Set hard rating gates. Don't just rely on "Kids Mode." Set the actual maturity rating (e.g., TV-Y7 or PG) in the profile settings.
- Turn off Autoplay. It’s the primary driver of "just one more" meltdowns and prevents them from accidentally rolling into a trailer for a horror movie.
- YouTube is a different beast. YouTube Kids is safer, but "Restricted Mode" on regular YouTube is notoriously leaky.
Ask our chatbot for a step-by-step checklist for your specific TV brand
We’ve all been there. You set up a profile with a cute little icon of Bluey or a Stormtrooper, set the age to "7," and think you’re good. Then you walk into the living room and find your second-grader staring wide-eyed at the opening credits of The Last of Us because they realized clicking your face on the "Who's Watching?" screen gives them the "grown-up movies."
The reality is that most streaming apps are designed for engagement, not safety. Their job is to keep the TV on. If your kid finds a way into your profile, the algorithm doesn't care that they're eight; it just knows someone likes gritty dramas.
Bulletproofing your apps isn't just about blocking "the bad stuff." It’s about protecting your own algorithm (so you don't get Cocomelon recommendations for the next three years) and ensuring that "screen time" doesn't accidentally become "trauma time."
Netflix is actually the gold standard for parental controls right now, but you have to go into the browser settings to do the heavy lifting—you can't do most of this from the TV app.
- Profile Lock: This is non-negotiable. Go to Account > Profile & Parental Controls > Profile Lock. Put a 4-digit PIN on every adult profile.
- Viewing Restrictions: You can set a maturity rating for each child's profile. If you have a sensitive kid, don't just trust "Kids." Set it manually to TV-Y or TV-G.
- Title Blocking: This is the "nuclear option" and it’s great. If there’s a specific show that drives you crazy or you find inappropriate (looking at you, Skibidi Toilet clones or certain brain-rot cartoons), you can type the name of the show into "Viewing Restrictions" and it will never appear on that profile again.
Learn how to block specific shows on Netflix
Disney+ used to be the "safe" app, but since they added the Star catalog and Marvel shows like Daredevil (which is very much TV-MA), the gates have changed.
- Content Ratings: When you first set up a profile, it defaults to a lower rating. To see things like Deadpool & Wolverine, you have to manually opt-in. Check your kids' profiles to make sure they haven't "upgraded" themselves.
- Junior Mode: This is a simplified interface for the littlest ones. It removes the "search" function and only shows the most basic content. It’s great for toddlers who tend to "button-mash" the remote.
- Profile PIN: Just like Netflix, lock your adult profile. Disney+ makes this easy to prompt during the login setup.
YouTube is the "final boss" of digital parenting. Regular YouTube is not designed for children, full stop. Even "Restricted Mode" is just an automated filter that misses a lot of weirdness.
- The Best Move: Use YouTube Kids and select the "Approved Content Only" setting. This means your kid can only watch channels you have manually white-listed. It’s more work for you upfront, but it’s the only way to ensure they aren't falling down a rabbit hole of MrBeast knockoffs or "Elsagate" style creepy animations.
- The "Middle" Move: If your kid is older (10-12) and "needs" regular YouTube for school or hobbies, use a Supervised Account. This allows you to see their history and limits the features they can use (like comments or live streams).
Check out our deep dive into YouTube vs YouTube Kids
Prime Video is tricky because it’s a store first and a streaming service second. The biggest risk here isn't just content—it's your credit card.
- Purchase PIN: Go to Settings > Parental Controls. Set a "Purchase PIN." This prevents your child from accidentally (or intentionally) buying $200 worth of Paw Patrol episodes.
- Viewing Restrictions by Device: Prime allows you to apply restrictions to specific devices. You might want the living room TV to be open, but the "kids' tablet" to be locked down to TV-Y only.
Max (formerly HBO Max) has some of the most adult content out there—think Euphoria or Game of Thrones.
- The Issue: Their "Kids" profiles are notoriously easy to exit.
- The Fix: You must set a PIN for profile switching. This is a relatively newer feature for them, so if you haven't checked your settings in a year, go do it now. Without the "Profile PIN" enabled, a kid can just click "Switch Profile" and be in the adult section instantly.
Every family has different "lines in the sand," but here is a general framework based on community norms we see at Screenwise:
Ages 2-5: The "Walled Garden" Phase
At this age, kids shouldn't have "search" capabilities. Stick to YouTube Kids (Approved Content Only) or the PBS Kids app. Autoplay should be OFF. At this age, the transition away from the screen is the hardest part; autoplay makes that transition a nightmare.
Ages 6-9: The "Supervised Exploration" Phase
Kids start wanting to watch what their friends are talking about—maybe Minecraft videos or Pokemon. This is the time to use Netflix's "Title Blocking" for things you find annoying or inappropriate, and to start having conversations about why we don't click on "suggested" videos on the sidebar.
Ages 10-12: The "Trust but Verify" Phase
This is usually when the "Kids" profile feels "babyish" to them. You might move them to a general profile but with a "PG-13" or "TV-14" rating gate. Keep the PIN on your adult profile, though. They don't need access to Hazbin Hotel just because they’re "double digits" now.
Have you ever noticed that if you watch one documentary about cults, your entire feed becomes cults for a month?
The same thing happens to your kids. If they use your profile to watch Bluey, your "Recommended for You" section will be a mess. But more importantly, if they are on an un-curated profile, the algorithm will eventually lead them to "engagement bait."
Engagement bait is content designed to trigger a reaction—often fear, shock, or gross-out humor. This is why a kid can start watching a video about "funny cats" and end up on a video of a "creepy clown" in three clicks. Hard rating gates and PIN-locked adult profiles break this chain.
Parental controls are not a "set it and forget it" solution. They are a "speed bump." They exist to slow your child down long enough for you to notice what’s happening, or to prevent a genuine accidental exposure to something they can't un-see.
The best parental control is still you sitting on the couch for the first 10 minutes of a new show to see if the "vibe" matches your family's values. But until you can be in five places at once, lock those profiles.
Next Steps:
- Tonight: Grab your laptop and log into your Netflix and Disney+ accounts via a browser.
- The Lock: Set a 4-digit PIN on your own profile. (Don't use your birthday; they know it).
- The Audit: Look at the "Viewing History" on your kids' profiles. If you see something weird, ask our chatbot about it.
- The Talk: Tell your kids: "I put a lock on my profile because there are shows for grown-ups that are too scary or intense for kids, just like I don't let you drive the car yet."
Check out our full guide on digital boundaries for elementary students