Netflix profile passwords and kids view history added in latest update
Each one of your Netflix profiles may include a password now with the latest round of updates. This newest set of updates is aimed primarily at families, specifically for parents hoping to lock kids out of adult-themed content included in non-kids accounts. But there are a few features here that'll be useful to anyone that uses Netflix.
Why add a password to my profile?
Netflix says you could add a PIN code to your profile now, if you'd like. It's not the same as a massively long and complicated password, but it'll do the trick. Netflix says you can "PIN protect individual profiles to prevent kids using them."
Adding a PIN code to a profile allows you to avoid more than just the ocassional child invasion. If you stop your friends and family from entering your profile, you also stop them from accidentally watching shows and movies as you. This is important for two reasons.
1. Shows recommended to you by Netflix are based on your interests – I.E. The shows and movies you watch are tabulated by Netflix and Netflix uses said info to recommend similar content. If your friend watches The Office on your account and you've never watched The Office before in your life, you'll still see recommendations for content like Community. If only YOU use your profile, Netflix can recommend content that's based on your real viewing history.
2. If you've been watching a documentary series very closely but cannot remember the exact place you left off. If only YOU are watching that series on your account, you'll never need to second-guess how far Netflix says you've watched. It'll always be right – or SHOULD always be right.
Other Updates
Other parental controls added this week include filters based on age. You can now "tailor" your Netflix Kids experience based on country age ratings. There's a way to remove individual series or films by title. This works like a filter, disallowing blocked titles from appearing anywhere in a given profile.
In Netflix's Profile and Parental Controls hub within account settings. In this hub, the main user can see what Kids accounts have been watching. The main user can also turn off auto play of episodes of television shows from this Profile and Parental Controls hub.
You'll need to head into Netflix settings on your mobile app for Android or iOS OR see your Netflix settings from a computer's web browser. So if you have the app on your phone or tablet, or if you go to Netflix dot com in a web browser, you should be able to see these controls with relative ease – as of now!