Netflix wants to explain what your kids are watching so you don’t have to watch it with them

For parents, kids programming on Netflix can sometimes be a wolf in sheep clothing. While the different shows help keep the little ones entertained for many hours, it also means that you inevitably need to spend those same hours either watching it with them or at least engaging in conversation about the show with them. Not something which you were necessarily anticipating when you were hoping your kid could stay occupied for the next few hours.  

Netflix understands that pain which parents face and is rolling out a new tool to help them not just monitors what their kids are watching but understand them too. Called the Kids Activity Report, the new breakdown includes data on what type of programming kids are spending the most time watching, which characters may be their favourite, and recommendations for new shows based on their interests. This report will be sent weekly to parents that have kids profiles activated on their accounts and will include a “joke of the day,” colouring pages (based on Netflix characters and shows) to print out for kids stuck at home, and prepared questions to ask their kids based on their favourite show or character.

This not only helps parents to stay up to date with what their kids are watching but helps keep the kids entertained through other means. It also allows parents to have a deeper level of engagement in discussions about the show with the kids when they really couldn’t be bothered. Like when Darryn talks about Dragonball Z – yawn!!!

Alongside the new kids’ report, Netflix is also rolling out a global test for a Family Profile setting. Unlike regular profiles or kids-only profiles, family profiles will pull in TV shows and films that people can select as family-friendly, and it will appear in one profile. This should make it easier when you are watching together with your whole family without worrying about them seeing all the dirty stuff you really watch by yourself.

Family profiles are scheduled to roll out to most accounts this week, with the kids activity report rolling out only to select markets with Netflix not clear on when it will be making its way to South Africa.

Last Updated: December 10, 2020