To set up Virgin Media parental controls, you need a Virgin Media account to use the Web Safe feature for restricting internet on Virgin broadband. You can also set parental controls on Virgin TV or Virgin Stream by locking channels and preventing access to age-restricted content using a parent’s PIN.

Virgin Media offers various content control features on home broadband and mobile networks. It helps to keep your children safe online by blocking inappropriate sites, spam websites, and 18+ content.
You can choose from various settings when the child’s device is on the home Wi-Fi or mobile network.
Why is it important? According to new research commissioned by Ofcom, children first see violent online content while still at primary school.
Therefore, this guide takes you through the various methods of setting up Virgin Media parental controls.
Parental Controls for Virgin Mobile
Virgin Media offers comprehensive parental controls for its mobile network. The network recently announced it’s moving to O2 Mobile, so Virgin Media’s parental controls for its mobile network apply similarly to O2 Mobile’s parental controls.
The first thing you need is a Google account and password.
To set up parental controls on Virgin Media, call 0345 6000 789. Customer support will help you do so over the phone. Alternatively, go to the Virgin Mobile Account page and create an account using your email address and password.
Log in to the account, and go to the Plans page. Click the Device tab > Manage Services > Parental Controls. Tap the toggle button to turn it ON.
This will block content rated 18+ when your child is browsing using mobile data on the Virgin Media mobile network.
Virgin Media Broadband Parental Controls
Virgin Mobile offers broadband parental controls through Web Safe feature. Virgin Media’s Web Safe is free, and it includes Child Safe and Virus Safe features.
This parental control function is available for all Virgin Media O2 users to block sites unsuitable for kids.
To use Virgin Media’s Web Safe:
You need a Virgin Media account. If you do not have an account, you will require the account holder’s name, number, and postcode.
- Access My Virgin Media web and log in to your account.
- After logging in, click Account Settings.
- Go to Online Security from the Account Settings menu.
- You will see the Web Safe menu and a Child Safe Option. The button will be grey if it’s off.
- Click on the toggle so that it switches to purple. This will offer child protection for all devices connected to the Virgin Media home broadband.
You also have options to block websites manually on the websites tab or content category to block certain site content types from appearing in searches.
- Open the Categories tab under Web Safe and tick the box next to each category you want to block.
- Open the Websites tab and add a site’s URL to the Blocked Websites section.
Source: YouTube
Virgin Media’s Web Safe has a Time Restriction feature.
Click the Set Timer option to switch off Child Safe. This option allows web access without filters for certain times of the day and provides child-safe features when your child usually accesses the internet.
Virgin TV Parental Controls
Virgin Media also has parental controls to protect what kids watch on TV. Virgin Media age restriction is set by default using a PIN [1234], meaning you will need to access programs rated for 12+ before 8 pm.
Setting up Virgin TV parental controls depends on the streaming service.
How to set up parental controls on TiVo box or V6 box powered by TiVo
- First, change the default PIN by pressing Home on the remote.
- Go to Help & Settings and select Parental Controls.
- Enter the default PIN [1234], then choose Change PIN.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to change the PIN successfully.
To customise parental controls on TiVo box of V6 box:
- Press Home > Help & Settings.
- Select Parental Controls and enter your PIN.
- Choose Hide Adult Channels and Select Hide Adult Channels again.
Source: YouTube
To lock and unlock channels:
- Press Home > Help & Settings.
- Press Parental Controls, then enter your PIN.
- Choose Lock Channels, then select the specific channel and press OK.
- Go to Use these Settings, then press OK.
Other parental controls available from the TV are turning off watershed recordings and locking apps and games. You only need to choose these options from the Parental Controls menu on your remote.
Virgin Stream Parental Controls
Virgin Stream is a streaming TV service that allows users to pay for the TV channels and streaming services they need. You can set up various parental controls since it’s powered by Virgin Media Broadband.
Similar to V6 and TiVo, you need to change your PIN. Changing the PIN on Stream follows steps similar to those on TV 360.
- Press Home > Settings and Select Change PIN.
- Enter the PIN and follow the onscreen instructions.
To lock channels on Virgin Stream:
- Press Home on the remote.
- Select Settings and choose Parental Controls.
- Select Lock Channels.
- Enter your PIN, then select Add Channels.
- Highlight the channel you want to lock or unlock.
- Press the back button to show you have completed the setting.
Users’ Reviews
The Virgin Media community is an active hub of users looking for solutions for various services Virgin Media offers.
To this end, its parental controls feature has received many reviews, with many saying they cannot turn off the Web Safe feature. When turned on, you will require help from Virgin Media Customer Support.
Nevertheless, many say the Child Safe function is intermittent and does not notify parents when the feature stops working. Others highlight that it could be turned on, but does not work as expected when blocking sites.
Is It Easy to Turn Off Virgin Media Parental Controls?
Turning off Virgin Media parental controls is difficult, since a child needs to be the primary account holder to change the Virgin Media Web Safe settings. Besides, they also need a PIN to remove any restrictions on Virgin TV.
However, some parents have complained that a child may use a VPN to bypass parental controls. On another occasion, a child can change the DNS, which allows them to bypass parental controls.
Comparison of Virgin Parental Controls and Family Tracker
To understand whether setting up Virgin Media parental controls is enough, let’s compare them with a known family tracker, uMobix.
Feature | Virgin Media Parental Controls | uMobix |
---|---|---|
Blocking 18+ content on mobile network | Yes | No |
Blocking Content by Categories | Yes | No |
Blocking specific URLs | Yes | Yes |
Blocking 12+ rated TV channels | Yes | No |
Blocking channels on Streaming services | Yes | No |
Location tracking | No | Yes |
Geofence set up | No | Yes |
Blocking apps & games | No | Yes |
Setting time restrictions | Yes | No |
Keyword tracking | No | Yes |
Blocking Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
Monitoring activity on social media | No | Yes |
Accessing browser history | No | Yes |
Keylogger | No | Yes |
You can read the review of all uMobix parental control options in HeyLocate’s article:
Conclusion
Virgin Media parental control offers a comprehensive solution for parents and guardians to protect children when accessing the internet on their mobile network, broadband, and TV.
With the various available features, you need not worry about what your child searches for because it has adult filters enabled when you turn on Child Safe, lock channels, or use Web Safe to prevent access to various content types.
Nevertheless, you can always make the safety level higher with any family tracker with parental control features.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Virgin Mobile parental controls let the account holder block inappropriate sites for additional web safety and internet security.
Log in to your account, go to Account Settings > Internet Security and turn off the Child Safe feature under the Web Safe panel.
Turn on Child Safe on Web Safe in your Virgin Media account.
Use the Web Safe timer option to restrict the internet during certain hours of the day.
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