# How to keep kids from viewing R-rated material on Prime



## Will Write for Gruel (Oct 16, 2010)

So my friend just got a Fire as a Christmas gift from her sister. It's for her and her 10 year old to share. I told her about the free month of Prime and then we both realized there's R-rated material available through Prime. So the question is can this stuff be blocked via some kind of password access? Or is it just available to anyone playing with the Fire?

Also, what about browsing history? Is there a way to hide that from a child if you hand the Fire to her to play Angry Birds? We wouldn't want Amazon suggesting to her she might like some x-rated book. 

I apologize if this has come up before.


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## TraceyC/FL (Mar 23, 2011)

I've yet to hear of a way to filter/restrict the content on amazon video, I keep waiting for someone to mention such a setting!

As for the other, have her look into the Child lock app mentioned here in various threads (with the knowledge however it can, apparently, be defeated with a device power cycle) and Mobicip Browser is in beta for android/fire and that will do content filtering based on age groups.

Right now, I'd not plan on sharing a device with a child if my content was x rated (the carousel will show all of the archive at the moment for the account the device is registered), but that is obviously a personal decision.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

NO. Not yet. Hopefully in Jan with the newest update coming.

Otherwise, it's jut like putting a kid in front of a computer, monitoring what they do is still best done by a parent.


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## Will Write for Gruel (Oct 16, 2010)

BTackitt said:


> NO. Not yet. Hopefully in Jan with the newest update coming.
> 
> Otherwise, it's jut like putting a kid in front of a computer, monitoring what they do is still best done by a parent.


Yeah, but these hand-held devices are tough to keep an eye on. Anyway, her daughter's a good kid. I think this is more for the parent's peace of mind than it is to thwart a child intent on looking at R-rated stuff.

I am surprised that Amazon didn't build in parental controls.

Anyway, thanks for the replies. I suspect what my friend is going to do is not get Prime just to stay away from all the free videos.


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## Will Write for Gruel (Oct 16, 2010)

Well, we opened the Fire and I got it charged, registered it, and we were both surprised to have Prime start automatically and display all the TV shows and movies that are free to watch with one click. My friend was unhappy with this and the idea of her 10 year old watching something inappropriate, and there's no way to restrict shows. So she's going to return it. She'd rather not worry about it. 

Amazon really needs to set up a system where R-rated and mature-rated content can only be accessed by entering a password. The thing that gets me is they put those TV shows right there on the screen when you click on video. Sons of Anarchy, The Tudors, are just one click to launch and they are not appropriate for 10 year olds.


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

Asher MacDonald said:


> Well, we opened the Fire and I got it charged, registered it, and we were both surprised to have Prime start automatically and display all the TV shows and movies that are free to watch with one click. My friend was unhappy with this and the idea of her 10 year old watching something inappropriate, and there's no way to restrict shows. So she's going to return it. She'd rather not worry about it.
> 
> Amazon really needs to set up a system where R-rated and mature-rated content can only be accessed by entering a password. The thing that gets me is they put those TV shows right there on the screen when you click on video. Sons of Anarchy, The Tudors, are just one click to launch and they are not appropriate for 10 year olds.


You could always create a new account and not enable Prime membership on that account.


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## Will Write for Gruel (Oct 16, 2010)

fuschiahedgehog said:


> You could always create a new account and not enable Prime membership on that account.


Yeah, I thought about that and we did create a new Amazon account, but Prime was automatically enabled. I suppose we could disable it, but another objection my friend had was simply the way all the R-rated movies, along with trailers, are so quickly and easily accessed. The stuff on the Fire is much more visible than it is on the Nook Color, for example.

And in fact that's what she is going to get instead, a Nook Color. There's no one-click buying on the Nook and movies and things like that just aren't as obvious and easy to get at. She wants her child to read, not watch videos. The kid already does enough of that with TV every day. She has a nice habit of reading for 30 minutes or so every night in her bedroom and her mother wants that to continue and doesn't want to worry that the kid instead is watching video.

The Fire is set up for media consumption in a big way. Amazon has done a great job with it. Unfortunately, a lot of the media is aimed at adults and there's no way to segregate that content. I understand what Amazon is doing -- they don't want to put up any obstacles between customers and potential purchases, but that may mean it's not appropriate for a small child.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Asher MacDonald said:


> Yeah, I thought about that and we did create a new Amazon account, but Prime was automatically enabled. I suppose we could disable it, but another objection my friend had was simply the way all the R-rated movies, along with trailers, are so quickly and easily accessed. The stuff on the Fire is much more visible than it is on the Nook Color, for example.
> 
> And in fact that's what she is going to get instead, a Nook Color. There's no one-click buying on the Nook and movies and things like that just aren't as obvious and easy to get at. She wants her child to read, not watch videos. The kid already does enough of that with TV every day. She has a nice habit of reading for 30 minutes or so every night in her bedroom and her mother wants that to continue and doesn't want to worry that the kid instead is watching video.
> 
> The Fire is set up for media consumption in a big way. Amazon has done a great job with it. Unfortunately, a lot of the media is aimed at adults and there's no way to segregate that content. I understand what Amazon is doing -- they don't want to put up any obstacles between customers and potential purchases, but that may mean it's not appropriate for a small child.


Amazon has, by all accounts, heard the concerns about kids potentially having access to inappropriate material, and is expected to release an update that adds some more customization options, which most figure will include parental controls. If it was me, I'd wait for that before deciding to return it. . . .though I do understand the desire to have something 'under the tree'. Based on when they announced the update and the timeline given, I'd expect it to come down sometime next week so that the Fires that are turned on on Christmas will automatically get the latest software with those controls in place.


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

I hope you're right, Ann!  We need some middle ground here!


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## Will Write for Gruel (Oct 16, 2010)

I really like the Fire. That said, I don't see a huge usability difference between the Fire and the Nook Color. Both are e-readers. Both can play video. Both can play games. Amazon ecosystem is nicer but neither the mom nor child will be huge consumers of movies or games. The device is going to be used as an e-reader and sometimes games device. 

The chief difference is the Nook Color will be easier to control. You can't even download a free nook book without having to input a password if the controls are set that way. The mom is much more comfortable with that.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

It sounds like the Nook is the right device for their circumstances, Asher.  It's a great time to be a gadget consumer, there are choices!

Betsy


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## Will Write for Gruel (Oct 16, 2010)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> It sounds like the Nook is the right device for their circumstances, Asher. It's a great time to be a gadget consumer, there are choices!
> 
> Betsy


Yeah, it all worked out. She sold the Fire on Craig's List for $150, which was quite a deal since it's essentially new -- used for about 20 minutes. Since it was a gift to her in the first place, that's $150 she didn't have before. She turned around and ordered a refurbished Nook Color from B&N for $149. So she has what she wants and the Nook has a one-year warranty, too.


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