Children Safety Feature at Risk since May 2024

[Wakankaa]

Community,

Shocking, time again and again. I would like to stress this matter of urgency to let the UK member of the public to check Virgin Media Child safety feature - this is being turn off automatically and if I try to enable it back, the child protection is not working. 

How does it impact - if you are a parent using Virgin Media as the broadband service, you have access to their website, to manage the child safety via their Online Security. 

I had mine enable, this is to protect and block my children from accessing below categories, when I check today - all of this was unchecked, and I had nearly 100 website blocked separately - all of the removed.  I then try to enable it back - tested it again, it doesn't work, I typed a website name to block the website - that didn't work.

I have raised it immediately with Virgin Media - the call center is in India, unaware about the situation here, they said they have raised a ticket and the ticket will take 5 working days, there is no provision for them to escalate this further after discussion with the supervisor.

The impact is that there is will be may parents like me that will not be unaware that this is not working, they hoping the children are browsing children safe internet but ultimately this is not the case. Our children safety at risk, not the first time - I have raised a similar issue last year October and escalated to  Ombudsman Service, Virgin media committed to resolve a similar issue.

I am not sure if this is me but I would to make the general public aware if that is the case, if they have similar issue - raise it with Virgin Media team ASAP.

Thank you.

[nodrogd]

In order for Child Safe to operate successfully, Virgin DNS servers have to be used. Most tech savvy kids know how to change the DNS of their device & bypass this type of security anyway, so it should not be relied upon as a total solution.

[Robert_P]

Hello Wakankaa

We're sorry to hear of the issues experienced with your child safe settings, we understand the concern this must be causing and appreciate you taking the time to raise this via the forums. Welcome to the community.

We can see the issue has been raised with out IT support team, the timescales for this to be investigated and contact made is 5 working days although it may be quicker than this. The team have also raised this as a complaint and once the issue is resolved they will contact you discuss this further.

[asim18 · Accepted solution]

This "feature" is simply not a solution to protect your kids online. Every internet enabled device on the planet allows easy and permanent bypassing of VM's "protection" within 3-15 seconds flat.

It's really a shame that the advertising standards authority even allows such claims to be made. Any claims any ISP makes for "protecting your kids" should not be relied upon. Protection of your kids must always be internalised, never externalised to any commercial organisations.

I wonder how many oblivious parents believe this claim and think VM is actually protecting their children from online dangers.

[Wakankaa]

I am raising this with Ombudsman about VM failure being such unprofessional and totally lack of responsibility resolving the issues relating the children safely. Why they have not contact me after 5 working days fir resolution - they totally incompetent being a ISP service provider. I don't think they what it takes resolving the issues, I really mad and helpless that I am impacted with service issues, I had to turn of tge Internet due to concern the children are exposed to social menance. I simply don't know what to you? I am looking writing to media to complain of the repeatly offending and creting so much uneasiness at home. 

[Wakankaa]

Thank you, VM has provided a feature for customer to use to filter Internet accessibility - how this is not working, ig was working before and what has broken on the back end. I am surprised there are other has raised this many times since beginning why has they come out and tell us that this is not working and will never going to work. I had same issues last year October and kicked off with Ombudsman- Virgin Media came to defence gave me £50 and told me that gge internet safety will not work on mobile and gadgets. How the hell, if you everything is going through on ISP from one internet provider - it was working for PC and not mobile phones. But now, it is not working for both, the filter us bot working on PC and mobile phones ... come on what has changed and what will take to upgrade your service to provide a full fudge service to your customer. It is time to name and shame the virgin media for their failures, you are as good not the service - hope this reaches the owner of company Bronson as he was investing try to reach the moon with flashing rockets then fixing the IT glitch that is so important for our children safety at home.

[Vikki_M]

Hi there, 

Thank you for your further response. We're very sorry, however as this is already raised with the correct team via the IT ticket, we would need to wait please for them to work and resolve this. 

We're sorry we can't offer any further resolution at this time. 

[Wakankaa]

Any further update ? It has been 2 weeks now, still working on IT issue - whoever works at back end need to question for not picking up and get a proper working proxy working. You are bad for being a service provider, I am upset and annoyed about the level support we are getting. You say Mars ...

[Robert_P]

We understand the frustration, the ticket is still open and assigned to the correct team to investigate further. Once there is an update available we will let you know here.

[Wakankaa]

Robert,

Thank you for getting back to me.

I have been told the same over again and again, can I know what is severity for this case and what is the SLA raised for this urgency for this ticket ?

As for your information, this issue has been there since beginning of year, why nothing was done as reported by other users in this forum ?

I am really sick and tired, schooling virgin media to resolve the back end IT issues.

As Ombudsman suggested for those affected, I am sure everyone that relying on this feature to raise a tickets to Ombudsman, with right numbers they would then able to communicate this to Ofcom - the ISP regulator to take action on continuous failing of virgin media against the safety net that we rely for children at home.