TiVo to Expand Parental Controls

Parents will soon be able to use their TiVos to help limit what television programs their children can view, thanks to a new service announced by the company Thursday. Called KidZone, the software will be made available to owners of TiVo's standalone boxes in June.

To operate, KidZone would use a list of shows approved for kids by one of two groups, either Common Sense Media or the Parents Television Council. When a child hits an unapproved program, it would be blocked and only viewable by entering a password.

Parents would be able to customize the list by adding and deleting programs, or even create their own list. Furthermore, the TiVo can be set to automatically record programs that the two groups highly recommend.

While the set-top boxes could already limit programming based on television ratings, TiVo says this system allows for better control of what children can watch. TiVo added that the rating system is only understood by very few parents, which has led to many not using it altogether.

But the reason for implementing the KidZone feature may not be as sanguine as it appears. TiVo is feeling the squeeze from cable and satellite providers, which are increasingly offering their own DVR options. By adding new services, the company hopes to differentiate itself from the rest.

TiVo charges a $12.95 USD monthly fee for users of its standalone set-top box. Recently, the company has also been toying with the idea of giving the boxes away for free in exchange for a higher monthly rate or long-term contract.

One issue may become a sticking point for many interest groups in looking favorably upon the new feature: commercials. Several children's groups have become increasingly critical of commercials during programming, however TiVo said it would not edit out the commercials in order to keep television networks happy.