Virgin Media Community

[Vicky609]

I'm suddenly being asked for a pin to watch programs before 9pm. These aren't recordings and i've got no adult channels. It's just happened today a program called Grim on Sky max. I've got no parental controls set. What is happening here?

[japitts · Accepted solution]

This is Mandatory Daytime Protection and is a legal requirement from Ofcom. Any channel that shows age-restricted content during the day must require this, and Sky Comedy, Sky Max, Sky Documentaries & Sky Showcase (perhaps a couple of others now) are the main broadcasters that do this.

It cannot be disabled, and applies across all UK TV platforms, and it won't have happened suddenly as you suggest.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-2/mandatory-daytime-protection gives some background info on the regulations.

[Vicky609]

I've never see it before. I wasn't actually trying to watch that program it just happened to be on that channel when I turned the tv on this morning. I don't watch a lot of tv in the day but I find it hard to believe it's always been like that and i just haven't noticed.

[Vicky609]

Thanks for the info.

[NinjaMeerkat]

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@Vicky609 wrote:

I've never see it before. I wasn't actually trying to watch that program it just happened to be on that channel when I turned the tv on this morning. I don't watch a lot of tv in the day but I find it hard to believe it's always been like that and i just haven't noticed.

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As said, its been like this for many years.

[japitts]

I think the current regulatory regime was introduced around 2019. The link in my previous post was to the Ofcom consultation which led to their introduction.