6 ms·

Just recently did this with XBox. I cannot prevent the kid from seeing the marketplace. I cannot prevent the kid from seeing installed games that are rated Ma

by BeetleB 10mo ago

Just recently did this with XBox. I cannot prevent the kid from seeing the marketplace. I cannot prevent the kid from seeing installed games that are rated Mature. It won't let them play it, but it lists all the games installed in the XBox. I cannot prevent them from downloading free stuff. It was frustrating and clear to me that this wasn't designed for the benefits of parents. I just want it to act like a console with a fixed set of games installed and no marketplace access.

rsync 10mo ago
These are not mistakes. These are not implementation errors or miscommunication between different business units. What you are witnessing is an intentional setting of a revenue dial to the maximum allowable setting that still permits the original sale.
- BeetleB 10mo ago
  Well, the sale was to me. The kid came later. :-)
- like_any_other 10mo ago
  A console is a computer controlled by a corporation. No other result could be expected.
  - UqWBcuFx6NV4r 10mo ago
    [flagged]
    - like_any_other 10mo ago
      > Let’s not make this into a nerd culture war thing about, what? I'm not making it into anything, I'm just identifying the root cause.
    - cwillu 10mo ago
      A solution that works for nerd parents can be sold by those nerd parents to non-nerd parents if the platform wasn't specifically designed to prevent it. Open hardware and free software is not about nerds.
- wojciii 10mo ago
  > These are not implementation errors or miscommunication between different business units. I don't think the companies such as Google*, Microsoft, Valve or Nintendo** have a Child Safety business unit. If they did, the software they produce would work and I would be able set some sane settings once when creating a group of users which contain children. What I am experiencing is user hostility when trying to limit who can chat or influence my children. The UI is usually horrible and some devices have no way of limiting or whitelisting what games can be played by children. * Fuck you for not requiring TVs to implement the features required to use child users on TVs. ** Fuck you for making the of doing anything on the switch related to child-profiles a horrible experience.
  - slumberlust 10mo ago
    They may not label the BU as such, but they certainly have policies on these types of interactions...sometimes abhorrently so: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2025/11/22/meta-strike-policy-sex-trafficking-violations-testimony/87425612007/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2025/11/22/meta-strike-p...
- master_crab 10mo ago
  This is why you have government regulation. It’s not perfect, but at least a government is accountable to something other than a profit motive.
  - DoctorWho70 10mo ago
    In the US, the government is expressly prohibited from regulating video games sales on the basis of content, per the First Amendment (with an exception existing for pornography). This was the Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Entertainment Merchant’s Association (2011).
    - oblio 10mo ago
      And that's the problem. The US Constitution isn't Moses' 10 Commandments chiselled in stone. It can be changed and improved. To quote Jeff Jefferies: "That's why it's called an AMENDMENT!". The fact that the US government is frozen in amber overall will be the downfall of the US.
      - iso1631 10mo ago
        It's not set in stone, its just used as an excuse. Or a thought terminating cliche. From OP: > the First Amendment (with an exception existing for pornography) The text is not > Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, except for showing boobs on TV, which would be a heinous crime and worthy of deportation There are many exceptions to "freedom of speech".
chaps 10mo ago
Question: why do you give the device access to the internet?
- topikk 10mo ago
  Sounds like the parent(s) use it as well > I cannot prevent the kid from seeing installed games that are rated Mature.
  - DebugDruid 10mo ago
    Can someone explain the problem with 'mature' rated games? As kids (under 10), we played Mortal Kombat and GTA III, laughing when we interacted with hookers in GTA. It was fun, and we had a great time playing these games. What's the issue? It's no different from playing with a wooden sword and shield.
    - explorigin 10mo ago
      Go type this into perplexity: "Are there any health studies about what exposure to pornography does to childhood development?" Here's another good one: "Are there any health studies about what exposure to violence or horror does to childhood development?" There is a reason that rating systems exist and that we shelter children from these things. The pre-rebuttal that you posted "this was common in my childhood" is no indicator that this was a healthy behavior for you or the masses.
      - pnt12 10mo ago
        That's an even weaker argument: AI and ratings. Ratings are very criticized by artists, eg as being fueled by conservative moms. For example, in the USA, movies with guns and explosion can be shown to younger audiences than nudity - seems very illogical. Also, some anecdotes: lots of my friends were into GTA as kids, ie early teens, and turned out fine. Comparing to kids who didn't do so well, I consider the most important factors to br family, education, and finances, not violent multimedia. With that being said, I'm sympathetic to limiting internet access due to communication with strangers, and extreme content (eg violent rethorics that appeal to action, not fantasy violence).
HumblyTossed 10mo ago
And depending on the community you go to to ask questions, the likely response is, "just be a parent". Wanting seat belts made just for kids IS BEING A PARENT.
- expedition32 10mo ago
  Children are quite literally the future of the human race. A fact childless nerds have forgotten.
  - naravara 10mo ago
    I read an interesting argument the other day that, because of how memory and perception of time works, childhood ends up being something like 40% of your lifespan in “experiential” terms. The stuff that happens to you over your first 20ish years loom large over your whole life and the memories of those times will be intense. So, in a way, designing the world in a way that assumes childhood is a transitory thing that you’re just trying to usher kids through until they can get to the “real world” part of being an adult is just making everyone spend most of their experiential lives in a world not meant for them.
AlfeG 10mo ago
Same goes for the Google Family Link. There is no way to prevent kid accessing Google Play Store and spam You with requests...
- subscribed 10mo ago
  At least with those requests you can disable notifications and nothing else happens.
scotty79 10mo ago
> marketplace access The sole reason this devide exists is to put marketplace before your kid's eyes. They won't let you disable it.

by BeetleB 10mo ago

rsync 10mo ago

These are not mistakes. These are not implementation errors or miscommunication between different business units. What you are witnessing is an intentional setting of a revenue dial to the maximum allowable setting that still permits the original sale.

BeetleB 10mo ago
Well, the sale was to me. The kid came later. :-)
like_any_other 10mo ago
A console is a computer controlled by a corporation. No other result could be expected.
- UqWBcuFx6NV4r 10mo ago
  [flagged]
  - like_any_other 10mo ago
    > Let’s not make this into a nerd culture war thing about, what? I'm not making it into anything, I'm just identifying the root cause.
  - cwillu 10mo ago
    A solution that works for nerd parents can be sold by those nerd parents to non-nerd parents if the platform wasn't specifically designed to prevent it. Open hardware and free software is not about nerds.
wojciii 10mo ago
> These are not implementation errors or miscommunication between different business units. I don't think the companies such as Google*, Microsoft, Valve or Nintendo** have a Child Safety business unit. If they did, the software they produce would work and I would be able set some sane settings once when creating a group of users which contain children. What I am experiencing is user hostility when trying to limit who can chat or influence my children. The UI is usually horrible and some devices have no way of limiting or whitelisting what games can be played by children. * Fuck you for not requiring TVs to implement the features required to use child users on TVs. ** Fuck you for making the of doing anything on the switch related to child-profiles a horrible experience.
- slumberlust 10mo ago
  They may not label the BU as such, but they certainly have policies on these types of interactions...sometimes abhorrently so: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2025/11/22/meta-strike-policy-sex-trafficking-violations-testimony/87425612007/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2025/11/22/meta-strike-p...
master_crab 10mo ago
This is why you have government regulation. It’s not perfect, but at least a government is accountable to something other than a profit motive.
- DoctorWho70 10mo ago
  In the US, the government is expressly prohibited from regulating video games sales on the basis of content, per the First Amendment (with an exception existing for pornography). This was the Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Entertainment Merchant’s Association (2011).
  - oblio 10mo ago
    And that's the problem. The US Constitution isn't Moses' 10 Commandments chiselled in stone. It can be changed and improved. To quote Jeff Jefferies: "That's why it's called an AMENDMENT!". The fact that the US government is frozen in amber overall will be the downfall of the US.
    - iso1631 10mo ago
      It's not set in stone, its just used as an excuse. Or a thought terminating cliche. From OP: > the First Amendment (with an exception existing for pornography) The text is not > Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, except for showing boobs on TV, which would be a heinous crime and worthy of deportation There are many exceptions to "freedom of speech".

chaps 10mo ago

Question: why do you give the device access to the internet?

topikk 10mo ago
Sounds like the parent(s) use it as well > I cannot prevent the kid from seeing installed games that are rated Mature.
- DebugDruid 10mo ago
  Can someone explain the problem with 'mature' rated games? As kids (under 10), we played Mortal Kombat and GTA III, laughing when we interacted with hookers in GTA. It was fun, and we had a great time playing these games. What's the issue? It's no different from playing with a wooden sword and shield.
  - explorigin 10mo ago
    Go type this into perplexity: "Are there any health studies about what exposure to pornography does to childhood development?" Here's another good one: "Are there any health studies about what exposure to violence or horror does to childhood development?" There is a reason that rating systems exist and that we shelter children from these things. The pre-rebuttal that you posted "this was common in my childhood" is no indicator that this was a healthy behavior for you or the masses.
    - pnt12 10mo ago
      That's an even weaker argument: AI and ratings. Ratings are very criticized by artists, eg as being fueled by conservative moms. For example, in the USA, movies with guns and explosion can be shown to younger audiences than nudity - seems very illogical. Also, some anecdotes: lots of my friends were into GTA as kids, ie early teens, and turned out fine. Comparing to kids who didn't do so well, I consider the most important factors to br family, education, and finances, not violent multimedia. With that being said, I'm sympathetic to limiting internet access due to communication with strangers, and extreme content (eg violent rethorics that appeal to action, not fantasy violence).

HumblyTossed 10mo ago

And depending on the community you go to to ask questions, the likely response is, "just be a parent". Wanting seat belts made just for kids IS BEING A PARENT.

expedition32 10mo ago
Children are quite literally the future of the human race. A fact childless nerds have forgotten.
- naravara 10mo ago
  I read an interesting argument the other day that, because of how memory and perception of time works, childhood ends up being something like 40% of your lifespan in “experiential” terms. The stuff that happens to you over your first 20ish years loom large over your whole life and the memories of those times will be intense. So, in a way, designing the world in a way that assumes childhood is a transitory thing that you’re just trying to usher kids through until they can get to the “real world” part of being an adult is just making everyone spend most of their experiential lives in a world not meant for them.

AlfeG 10mo ago

Same goes for the Google Family Link. There is no way to prevent kid accessing Google Play Store and spam You with requests...

subscribed 10mo ago
At least with those requests you can disable notifications and nothing else happens.

scotty79 10mo ago

> marketplace access The sole reason this devide exists is to put marketplace before your kid's eyes. They won't let you disable it.