Parent Controls and Adult Channel Information

[DonaldE1]

Please change the way the Parent Controls and the Adult Channel Information is acuated. IF you block the Adult Channel information it also blocks information of other programming that you do want to see. Could you please just make a blocking of ADULT Channel content material in the guide only and don't make the block so broad a scope.  If I set the block it blocks more than just the adult channels, some of the programming such as (The Americans) is even blocked because of the rating of the program.

[Vince100]

PROBLEM:

Sexually explicit language is being broadcast into our homes as part of the Verizon channel guide.

The sexually explicit titles and desciptions of adult programming is in the channel guide 24/7.

This language is too explicit for me to post it on this forum, but it is consistenly broadcast into our homes.

NO CURRENT SOLUTION:

There is not a current way to ONLY block the sexually explicit text.  There is a hide adult information option in the set top boxes, but it also includes TV-MA programming.  This then makes a significant portion of programming we are paying for, that doesn't use sexually explicit language, virtually invisible to the customer.

SUGGESTED SOLUTION:

Add an option to hide information for user selected channels.  

There is already an option to protect viewing programming on user selected channels by PIN, and and option to hide certain information.  This should be an easy way to solve this issue based on existing functionality.  And the sexually explicit text is related to a handful of channels that are decicated to this type of programming.

Please take what I see as a significant flaw in Verizon service into consideration.

[CRobGauth]

I believe most providers block based off the show ratings not the actual content.

Its a more simplistic system. Box just has to read the rating.

[Vince100]

I appriate your attention and advice on this matter, but I don't believe this helps.

The problem is the ratings for the programming of several non-pornagraphic programs and pornagraphic programs (like Brazzers) are both TV-MA.  But the pornagraphic programs use sexually explicit language in thier titles and descriptions.  So by using the hide adult information option to hide the sexually explicit language you hide a significant percentage of the programming you are paying for.  Anything rated TV-MA (like The Walking Dead) becomes essentially invisible.

Here's an example of what I am talking about.  This comes from the online Verizon channel guide and is the same text used on the channel guides on the cable boxes.

 

I don't think this is acceptable, but it's easily found on Verizon's website and cable box channel guides.  So I'm not posting anything here that any Verizon customer isn't currently exposed to.  And there is no feature that allows this to be hidden from children in the house without making all TV-MA shows invisible in the channel guide.

There is a clear and significant need to alter cable box functionality.

[CRobGauth]

This is the standard I beleive most if not all cable boxes follow.

How does Verizon know what programs you deem appropriate?

Plenty of shows with no sexually explicit info in titles and descriptions but have explicit language and nudity within the program.

Your definition of pornographic can differ from others.

Unfortunately, all we have is the program ratings at this time.

Just like movie ratings.

[Vince100]

I realize ratings are not likely to change.  Fine.

This is why my suggestion is to hide information based on channel instead of by rating.

The truly sexually explicit langauge is coming from a couple of channels (Playboy, Brazzers, RKTV).  I'm fine with the channels and programming, but if they are going to use sexually explicit language their must be an option to block that language without blocking a signficant percentage of programming (ie all TV-MA shows.)

Currently there is no such option.

If you don't understand what I mean by sexually explicit, read what I cut and pasted into my last post from the channel guide.  Go read the channel guide show titles and descriptions for the 3 channels I mentioned.  Would you read that text to a friend, or family member, or child?  Would you want a child to be able to access and read that text on a regular basis?

[CRobGauth]

Your post doesn't show.

Probably because it was sexually explicit.

And I understand what these channels show.

You can remove these channels from your guide by creating a list of favorites and setting the guide to use them.

And unless you watch a plethora of TV-MA, is it that difficult to have to enter your pin to watch them to shield others from these descriptions?

[Vince100]

First off, thank you for your continued interest and responses on this topic.

There is a feature to block watching TV-MA programs with a PIN.  You can see the show titles and descriptions, but you need a PIN to watch the program.  This is a good feature and I use it.  

There is a different feature to hide adult information.  This option will block the show titles and descriptions in the channel guide for all TV-MA programs.  So they all appear as BLOCKED TITLE.

If you use this hide adult information option, it's not a matter of the inconvience of needing a PIN to watch a program.  It's a matter of serveral programs ("adult" and "non-adult") becoming invisible as they will all be displayed as BLOCKED TITLE in the channel guide.

Also, it's clear that the text I am calling sexually explicit and inappropriate is also considered inapparpriate by Verizon since they are stripping it from my posts.

[pzulw]

For my children I wanted to hide to porn movie titles.

But I still want to see listings for Last Week Tonight, Westworld, Game of Thrones, etc.

Currently we can only hide TV-MA, but that hides too much. 

We need a setting for hiding porn titles.

[CRobGauth]

I believe this is how most providers work.

There are agreed upon standards for the TV ratings.

Who decides what TV ma  shows are ok to include but others not.

You could try creating  a set of favorite channels and use that instead.Then you can skinny channels you don't want to see.

[tns2]

I am not sure if it hides them or just doesn't let you show them without a password, but you can restrict X rated.  Obviously doesn't help if the Porn is not correctly marked.

[Vince100]

Yes you can access the title with a PIN.  But blocking all TV-MA titles requires a great deal of entering of the PIN just to find out what it is you aren't being shown.  And there are a lot of non-adult programs that don't use sexually explicit language that are rated TV-MA.

The real solution is to block titles and descriptions by channel and not by rating.

You can read my previous posts for more detail.

[tns2]

As I said you can block X which is a seperate rating from TV-MA.  May not help you much.

[MadHatter11]

Slightly old thread, but keeping it active for the sake of attention. It seems this has been an issue going back to atleast 2011 according to other forum post I've searched. It's ridiculous! COME ON, VERIZON! 

[CRobGauth]

This is mainly a peer to peer forum.

Verizon doesn't monitor.

Does any provider offer this as an option?

And how would this work?

what if certain words aren't in the description?

The ratings have certain standards that govern what the ratings are.

Imagine the people being upset if you try and block certain programs but beciuase the description didn't contain keywords and then their child saw the program.

[kbrown141]

I need Verizon to create more filters to hide titls for specific channels.  I want to block the names of all shows rated X (the adult/pornographic stations - channels 950 -1005).  The only option through parental controls is to hide ALL titles for NC-17 and TV-MA show ratings as well adult-oriented titles.  I only want to hide titles that are X rated.  Some of these names are highly inappropriate for any child to see.  Verizon REALLY REALLY needs to create an option to hide the names of specific channels just like you can block these channels.  If a channel is blocked, the name should automatically be hidden unless you choose otherwise.  All adult movies are NOT in the same category -  big difference in titles for R rated films and X rated films.  The current option means that I don't even see the title of any R or TV-MA movies.  I have children and I need Verizon to please please do something about this immediately!!  You have the functionality so please just create more filters for "Hide Title" options.  Thank you.

[CRobGauth]

It starts with the program ratings. They are TV-MA not X. So how would you exclude those titles you don't want to see?

Have you tried creating lists of favorite channels that don't include those channels?

Or set the guide to subscribed channels only?

That way, those channels won't show up in guide.

[Edg1]

When you go into Parental Controls go to “Advanced Settings”

Under “Block by Channel” and block the Adult channels like 950, 951 , and so on. 

Go to “Block by Content Rating”  then in “Checkable Ratings” block X

Go to “Control On Demand Sharing” and check Hide Remote On Demand. 

Last go to “Adult Information and select Hide Adult Info. 

That should take care of everything in the Guide without hiding non-adult titles. 

[CRobGauth]

You can use these features to block access to these channels, but they and their show descriptions will still show in guide.

only option for now is to either change guide to subscribed channels or to create favorites.

[Edg1]

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@CRobGauth wrote:

You can use these features to block access to these channels, but they and their show descriptions will still show in guide.

only option for now is to either change guide to subscribed channels or to create favorites.

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I understand. Just throwing out all the ways to block content. Unfortunately there are way around it. Even if favorites/subscribed is set you can still tune to the channel unless it’s blocked. 

You can hide adult information but it knocks out TV-MA. Which I don’t understand people complaining about that because you can turn it off when the kids are not around. 

Basically in the end it’s not Verizon’s job to watch people’s kids. It’s the parents job. 

[Vince100]

I'm not saying Verizon should force anything on thier subscribers.  I'm not saying they should remove any programming.  I'm saying they should provide the tools so subscribers can make the choices that are right for them.

Verizon has not provided the tools.

(Ironicly, the TV rating system was created so parents had the tools to parent their children.)