What are parental controls?
Parental controls are tools designed to protect children online by restricting access to inappropriate or adult content. You can help your family balance how much time they spend online by setting time limits on their devices. The tools can be installed on all devices, including mobile phones, computers, tablets, and consoles.
Virgin Media Essential Security
Virgin Media Essential Security is part of all Virgin Media broadband packages, and keeps you and your children protected online from scam sites and unsuitable content. It’s automatically activated from the moment you join, built into your home’s WiFi network at no extra cost, and it’ll warn you before your devices are exposed to anything malicious. To customise what to block and when, go to your My Virgin Media account.
It includes features like parental controls, this lets the account holder block sites that they consider inappropriate for their children. You can manage this in the Account Settings section of My Virgin Media. The controls are easily customisable, to control the level of protection, click on the Categories, Websites or Set timer filters. By turning on parental controls, we can block these areas automatically:
Pornography
Violence
Crime
Hate
Drugs
Hacking
Suicide and self-harm
Address hiding
These categories will stay blocked until you turn parental controls off. If this happens, the settings are saved until it’s turned on again. Only the main account holder can turn parental controls on or off. For more, go to our how to set up Essential Security page.
Virgin Media Connect app
The Connect app is the control unit for your WiFi. You can see all your connected devices and pause the WiFi to individual ones whenever you like – perfect for the children’s bedtime.
For more, go to our Connect app here.
Top tips for parents and guardians
Your child’s ability to safely navigate the internet is a skill they’ll need throughout their lifetime. So, teaching them about web safety and good online habits from a young age is vital. Our online security measures mean they can enjoy the digital freedom to explore, develop, progress and play, within the boundaries you choose to set.
For more, read our helpful resources to make sure your child stays safe, wherever and whenever they’re online by going to our parental control articles.
Switched on Families
Modern life is busy, and you may not always be present when your child is using the internet. That's why we've put together an interactive guide to give families honest and useful advice on keeping safe online, called Switched On Families. Stay informed and make sure your tribe is benefitting from all the good stuff the web has to offer, with none of the risk.
Internet Matters
Virgin Media and other major broadband providers have launched Internet Matters, a not-for-profit organisation that offers expert advice and practical online security tips to keep families safe; while supporting
Reporting online threats
If you find terrorist information, photos or videos while online, please report it through the dedicated government site. You can also report threats anonymously if you'd prefer.
Parental control FAQs
You can set the parental control in the Account Settings section of My Virgin Media. Parental controls are easily customisable by clicking on the Categories, Websites or Set timer filters so you control the level of protection.
You can change the parental control settings in the Account Settings section of My Virgin Media. Parental controls are easily customisable by clicking on the Categories, Websites or Set timer filters, so you control the level of protection.
You can turn off the parental controls in the Account Settings section of My Virgin Media.
The Connect app is the control unit for your WiFi that lets you optimise your WiFi to your needs. Instead of turning it off at night, we recommend pausing WiFi to individual devices – perfect for children’s bedtime.
