Why does the government interfere with my TV viewing??

[StephenSky]

I understand the need for a PIN to enforce the '9pm' watershed. However, in a household with no kids, there should be a way to disable the need to constantly put in a PIN.

In addition, on watching back to back episodes of Silicon Valley, afetr every episode, the screen goes blank, asking for my PIN again, even though the channel hasn't changed.

I hate government interference at the best of times, but when I'm simply watching TV, it really annoys me!! 😒

[Mark39]

'Nanny state', I'm afraid.

[caesarome]

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@StephenSky wrote:

However, in a household with no kids, there should be a way to disable the need to constantly put in a PIN.

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Sky are not going to know this as all they can do is comply with the Ofcom requirements on this.

[StephenSky]

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@caesarome wrote:

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@StephenSky wrote:

However, in a household with no kids, there should be a way to disable the need to constantly put in a PIN.

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Sky are not going to know this ...

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There must be some way they can 'question' the account holder to confirm that all household inhabitants are 18+. It would be up to the account holder whether they told the truth or not...

[Daniel0210]

@StephenSky 

That won't happen. 

You also have the scenario of visiting children being at the address. Until the government of the day changing the relevant legislation it will remain in its current form. 

Easiest thing to do is change your PIN number to something very simple such as 1234.

[StephenSky]

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@Daniel0210 wrote:

@StephenSky 

Easiest thing to do is change your PIN number to something very simple such as 1234.

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It's been 1111 for decades, not exactly a high security PIN for watching telly LOL Don't even have to lift finger off remote!

[TimmyBGood]

@StephenSky 

The requirement for MDP goes back to the moral panic over the arrival of 'foreign-owned' satellite television nearly four decades ago* : it's clearly nonsensical in the era of internet streaming but no MP is ever going to vote to remove 'child protection'.

*cheerfully amplified by all the (non-Murdoch) newspapers and the terrestrial television channels of the time...

[TimmyBGood]

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@StephenSky wrote:

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There must be some way they can 'question' the account holder to confirm that all household inhabitants are 18+. It would be up to the account holder whether they told the truth or not...

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The relevant legislation and media regulation derived from it contains no such provision, so Ofcom is powerless in that respect. The 2018 extension of MDP to non-Movie television channels was enacted as increased restriction, not relaxation.

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