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AnchorDesk

Steve Kovsky
Kids see the darnedest things

Steve Kovsky
Contributor, AnchorDesk
Friday, Jul 2, 2004
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Summer is here, and the living is easy--at least that's what your kids are thinking. With the school year over, a young person's thoughts naturally turn to bikes and balls, pools and parks, and that most favored activity of all--watching TV. That's why it's a good time to think about exercising some parental control over the boob tube.

Watching what your kids watch
Media Center PCs are one way you can keep an eye on what your kids see on TV. Here are a few of our current favorites.




 




 




 
OF COURSE, you need to set limits on how and when you let your kids park themselves in front of the little screen. And, ideally, you'll be there in the room with them to make sure they're watching stuff you think is age-appropriate. But what to do when you can't be there?

Using the parental control features built into your home electronics is the best way to ensure those limits stay in effect--even when you aren't physically there. A variety of gadgets will let you to do that. 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 TV (13 inches or larger) manufactured since January 2000. But actually using the V-Chip isn't always user-friendly. For example, if you're 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.

You could open up your Owner's Manual, and take your best shot. Or you could avail yourself of some technology that makes the process easier and more flexible. Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) such as TiVo and ReplayTV, for example, both have excellent parental control interfaces.

THOSE OPTIONS pale in comparison to the parental control features in Windows XP Media Center. 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).

You can also specify individual rating levels for different types of programs, media and "objectionable" content. You can set limits on TV programming, as well as on movies and DVDs viewed on your Media Center PC--ranging from G to X. Using the Advanced TV Ratings screen in Media Center, you can set individual levels for things like 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 can be valuable tools. But they aren't a silver bullet. Some of these gadgets may seem like ethical overkill. But bear in mind that we live in a day and age when all sorts of heinous things are televised whole or in part. Even Super Bowl halftime shows can offend some. Parental controls and filtering devices can be just another way of showing you care.

(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.)

Steve Kovsky is author of  Absolute Beginner's Guide to Windows XP Media Center Edition (Que 2004) and  High-Tech Toys for Your TV: Secrets of TiVo, Xbox, UltimateTV, ReplayTV and More (Que 2002). He is also a technology commentator on KFWB "News 98" in Los Angeles.  

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