I turned off all PIN options on my Sky Stream puck, but some movie channels still make me enter it.

[Chris+Neal]

Not much more to say beyond the title 🙂

I have disabled all PIN restrictions on my puck, but the last four times I selected a Sky Movies channel it required my PIN before playing the movie. Why?

[mikealanr · Accepted solution]

Hi @Chris+Neal 

Because Sky broadcast post watershed content pre watershed. You will always be asked for a pin due to Ofcoms Mandatory Pin Protection rules.

See: https://www.sky.com/help/articles/your-sky-glass-pin

"Good to know: Even if you turn off this setting, you'll still need to enter your PIN if you're watching a Sky Cinema movie or download before its normal watershed time. For example, before 8pm for shows or movies rated 12 or 15, or before 9pm for ones rated 18."

MikeAlanR

[Sooteee]

It's not very well managed though by Sky, just an arbitrary blanket approach. 
I can't remember Channel 4 broadcasting The Crystal Maze after the watershed, it was a family show, still is, yet requires a PIN on occasions. 
Also, there are instances where two separate channels will broadcast the exact same show, one wants a PIN, one doesn't? 
Plenty of other inconsistencies applied to this 'regulation' across the schedules. At least apply it properly! 
OFCOM and the rest our Nanny State organisations should allow those of us who have no kids in the house to have an option that allows us to turn this annoyance off permanently. 

[TimmyBGood]

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@Sooteee wrote:

OFCOM and the rest our Nanny State organisations should allow those of us who have no kids in the house to have an option that allows us to turn this annoyance off permanently. 

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Write to your MP: that would require government to grant additional power to Ofcom.

I might also observe that worrying about protecting children is literally what a nanny does...

[Sooteee]

Waste of a letter and time. 

[Sooteee]

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@TimmyBGood wrote

I might also observe that worrying about protecting children is literally what a nanny does...

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And if I don't have kids, I don't need one.... I'm perfectly capable of looking after my own viewing. 

[TimmyBGood]

@Sooteee 

No such exemption exists: forty years ago when 'foreign' satellite television was becoming a thing, the moral panic was about any exposure to unregulated content.  While this is undoubtedly completely outdated in the internet era, no government has ever been brave enough to change it.

[Mattando1]

Then why have the setting to turn it off [removed]

Moderator note: removed inappropriate comments

[Anonymous]

@Mattando1 there's no need to be rude. The Sky guidance is very clear about why. 

Even if you turn off this setting, you'll still need to enter your PIN if you're watching a Sky Cinema movie or download before its normal watershed time. For example, before 8pm for shows or movies rated 12 or 15, or before 9pm for ones rated 18.

Some shows from Sky Showcase, Sky Atlantic, Sky Comedy, Sky Documentaries, BBC, Channel 4 and E4 might ask for a PIN during the daytime and in the evening if the broadcaster considers the show to be of an adult nature. This is due to Ofcom regulations and can't be turned off.

This is not something the community can help with, and it's a legal thing. You need to take it up with your MP.

[Mattando1]

[removed] That is absolute rubbish Netflix doesn't have it Disney doesn't have it prime doesn't have it Apple doesn't have it! This rubbish about ofcom and watersheds is a load of rubbish and not law. Stop assuming people are thick [removed]

Moderator note: removed inappropriate comments

[MarkGoldsmith]

@Mattando1 OFCOM regulations are indeed seen as lawful regulations with OFCOM able to fine or even suspend the broadcast license of those companies who don't comply with their rules.

The reason it doesn't apply to streaming services like Netflix and Disney + is because currently OFCOM have no regulatory power over streaming services ( although I'd suspect this would likely change before the end of this current government).  Streaming services typically have PIN and age restricted settings on profiles which is a way of preventing kids accessing inappropriate content. As it's easy for anyone to pick up a remote and switch on a TV channel that's the reason that the PIN is required for live TV broadcasts as the only reasonable way to prevent children seeing adult theme content.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Mattando1 wrote:

 Netflix doesn't have it Disney doesn't have it prime doesn't have it Apple doesn't have it! This rubbish about ofcom and watersheds is a load of rubbish and not law

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It's the Broadcasting Code.

The clue is in the name.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/broadcast-standards/mandatory-daytime-protection/ 

Sky is regulated as a broadcaster: the streaming platforms you mentioned are not.

[Mattando1]

That's funny because I thought I had a service called sky stream ! Clue is in the name. It also doesn't explain my original comment of why give you the option to turn it off if it does  nothing but give you a few hours at night 

[SKY1992bf]

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@Mattando1 wrote:

That's funny because I thought I had a service called sky stream ! Clue is in the name. It also doesn't explain my original comment of why give you the option to turn it off if it does  nothing but give you a few hours at night 

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@Mattando1  sky are still classed as a broadcaster by the regulator regardless as they offer more than one way of accessing tv namely satellite and internet services 

where as the likes of Netflix and Amazon don't and are classed as a streaming service only so aren't regulated 

[Mattando1]

And yet no one can answer my original question! Says it all