What is Netflix and is it appropriate for my child?
Here are 5 FACTS every parent needs to know about Netflix:
#1 Subscription Streaming & Interactive Entertainment
Netflix is a global entertainment (or “interactive storytelling”) platform. It creates personalized recommendations (combining your data with AI) for on-demand movies, interactive content, and games. Advancing beyond basic movie streaming, Netflix aims to keep users more engaged (and participating) through real-time voting, cloud-based party games, and interactive episodes.
Netflix has 270+ million subscribers worldwide and is available on every device, including iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation, cable boxes, and more.
#2 Content
Netflix offers a diverse range of content, from new movies and recent seasons of popular shows to a wide selection of classic favorites.
Netflix produces and promotes its own original content the most. Shows like Stranger Things, Wednesday, Adolescence, Squid Game, Bridgerton, and One Piece drive engagement as Netflix Originals. It isn’t uncommon for this content to push the boundaries of mature themes, language, and ideology (i.e., Cuties, 13 Reasons Why, Big Mouth, Dead End: Paranormal Park).
In alignment with their goal to entertain the world, they recently signed a deal with Major League Baseball, marking their expansion into the sport.
The Netflix homepage offers categories such as “Trending Now,” “New Releases,” and “My Netflix.”
The “My Netflix” hub is where they hyper-personalize the user experience. Netflix’s AI-driven algorithms collect data from every click, pause, abandoned show, and rewatch to personalize show thumbnails and curated playlists, aiming to maximize engagement and viewing time.
The service categorizes maturity ratings as: Kids (TV-Y, TV-Y7, G, TV-G, PG, TV-PG), Teen (PG-13, TV-14), and Adult (R, TV-MA, NC-17). According to Netflix, maturity ratings are determined by the frequency and impact of mature content in a TV show or movie. TV show ratings reflect the overall maturity level of the whole series. When previewing a show/movie, Netflix provides “themes” such as Witty, Sitcom, Raunchy, Soapy, Teen, Goofy, and Emotional. Unfortunately, you cannot filter your child’s allowances by these themes, but they can help you decide whether it is appropriate for them to watch. (Pro Tip: Anything with the theme of Raunchy, Intimate, Dark Violence, etc. should be avoided.)
Recently added content to Netflix is games. Mobile games, as well as TV/Computer games, are now a way to engage interactively within Netflix.
#3 Binge By Design
Netflix has refrained from adding single episodes of TV shows. Instead, they prefer to wait until a show’s season has concluded before adding it to the service. This has given rise to the now household term of binging. When an entire season is available – and when the next episode auto-plays – it is hard to peel yourself away from the story. Instead of one episode of a show once a week (if you grew up in the 1900’s), now, you watch an entire season in one sitting.
In addition to the hyper-personalization of the “My Netflix” hub, another key feature driving extended engagement is auto-play, which is now the default across all devices. Profiles set up for children can have parental controls added to turn OFF the auto-play feature, which is critical.
Binging normalizes the idea that entertainment equals rest. While it may be physical rest on the couch or bed, it is rarely mentally restful. In reality, constant entertainment only trains children and adults to view boredom and quiet as negative and to be avoided at all costs. But it is the constant consumption that has the steepest cost: it displaces living. Moreover, time lost to binging can lead to anxiety when responsibilities lie in wait.
#4 Cost
While the app is free to download on any smart device, a monthly subscription is required. Free trials are no longer offered.
- Standard with ads: $7.99/month
- all games and most movies and TV shows are available with ads
- watch on two devices at a time
- Standard: $17.99/month
- Unlimited ad-free movies, TV shows, and games
- Watch on two devices at a time
- Option to add one additional member who doesn’t live with you
- $6.99/mo with ads and $8.99/mo without ads
- Premium: $24.99/month
- Unlimited ad-free movies, TV shows, and games
- Watch on four devices at a time
- Option to add two members who don’t live with you
- $6.99/mo with ads and $8.99/mo without ads
- 4K resolution
As with all online content now, you have to pay more if you don’t want to see ads. If children are watching Netflix, choosing the Standard subscription with ad-free content is a must. Too often, ads are inappropriate for children or push consumerism more than children need.
#5 Netflix Kids Experience
Netflix Kids profiles have been redesigned with a simplified interface. The profiles can be customized with maturity settings, blocked titles, and autoplay adjustments.
The key is to LOCK all adult accounts on the same subscription so that children cannot access other content.
Kid profiles are still subject to hyper-personalization. The “My Netflix” tab is a curated list of recommendations unique to the kid’s viewing history data. Additionally, the “Mystery Box” feature provides kids with a new surprise recommendation every day. Supposedly to help kids discover new content or revisit old favorites. These features cannot be changed with parental controls.
What is NOT available on a Kids profile is Netflix Games. For a child to play, for example, Barbie Color Creations or World of Peppa Pig (games clearly intended for young children), they must use an adult or teen profile to access them. This completely defeats the purpose of parental controls!
Furthermore, Netflix games are essentially the same gaming apps available on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, but accessible through the Netflix platform. Netflix is just grasping for more ways to maximize engagement and collect data.
Rating & Review:
App Store: 12+
Google Play: T: Teen
Netflix: 18+
Brave Parenting: Limited
Netflix offers entertainment that families can enjoy safely. It is critical, however, that parents remain the active gatekeepers of access and content. As insufficient as the parental controls are, they are still valuable at protecting children from inappropriate content (of which there is much).
Netflix viewing should always occur on a television in communal spaces of the home (where relationships happen), and children under 13 years old should always have a parent present when watching any new content.
We do not recommend allowing Netflix on any personal device (tablet or smartphone) for children or teens. The company’s increased use of AI-driven personalization, interactive features, and cross-platform gaming demonstrates a singular focus on maximum engagement. The platform is not designed to protect children or their attention, but to exploit it.
Biblical Considerations
In many ways, entertainment has become an idol in our society. Entertainment sources, such as Netflix, are earning more and more of our time with every passing year – and the age of consumption is getting younger and younger. This should not be the case for Christians.
We are to be wise stewards of the time given to us.
The Biblical worldview sees time as a gift to steward and not a resource to burn. “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16). Wisdom requires that Netflix be used in moderation: never displacing responsibilities, human relationships, and worship and service to God.
Our fundamental purposes of relationship, discipleship, and truth are displaced when entertainment consumes our time.
Everyone is discipled by someone or something. When it comes to Netflix’s curated and personalized content, every story disciples. The content teaches moral lessons about sexuality, identity, power, and truth. Without discretion, conversation, and critical thinking, the narratives on Netflix can morally and spiritually shape a child or teen.
What receives our attention receives our worship.
The evolution of Netflix (from mail-order DVDs to interactive entertainment) reveals that its goal is not to merely entertain you, but to own your attention.
While describing and warning about false teachers, the apostle Peter wrote that “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them” (2 Peter 2:19). When Christ-followers allow entertainment to be their God – to be owned in time and affection by entertainment – they become slaves to the corrupted world. Peter describes those who embrace Christ only to abandon Him for the world again as worse off than unbelievers. Knowing the truth of what is good, right, and holy requires believers to live in that truth, regardless of the pleasures the world offers.
This is the incredible importance of discipleship: training and teaching children through role-modeling and conversation (Deut 6:6-7). It’s showing them the way they should go (Prov 22:6) and walking alongside them in that way. It’s not showing them the way, and once they profess belief in Jesus, allowing them to go their own way.
Watching a family movie once a week on Netflix won’t conform you or your children to the world. Allowing your child to use Netflix on a personal device without proper parental settings and controls could, however.
