New Parental Controls for UKTV Play

Challenge

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Parental controls were implemented inconsistently across the various UKTV Play platforms and guidance was aligned more to the BBFC system – so we were tasked with bringing it into line with the system used by parent company BBC Studios.

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Solution

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UKTV Play operates in a highly competitive market of video on demand, including global giants like Netflix, Prime and Disney+ as well as many UK-based services so keeping pace with rivals is crucial. 

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Our UX/UI team worked meticulously, mapping out user journeys and creating wireframes to ensure all use cases and platforms were covered as we transitioned UKTV Play from its age ratings based system to one which complies with the BBC’s requirements.

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The new “G for Guidance” system provides content warnings for viewers, which are more specific than a cinema-style age rating and is compliant with ICO regulations. It also offers better protection for a younger audience and greater control for their parents, while ensuring access to content is as unhindered as possible for all other viewers.

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Result

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Feedback on the the new parental controls has been extremely positive. They are easy to use and consistent across all UKTV platforms with content guidance that’s now aligned with the BBC’s.

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