Parents often secure phones, tablets and laptops first. Meanwhile, the largest connected screen in the house may still have streaming apps, voice chat, purchases, user-generated content and few meaningful restrictions.

A smart TV or game console is not automatically dangerous. It is simply another internet-connected device—and it needs the same deliberate setup as every other device a child uses.

Why these devices are easy to overlook

TVs and consoles still feel like shared household appliances. That can make parents assume they are safer than a personal phone. In practice, their features vary widely and may include:

  • streaming video and live broadcasts;
  • downloadable apps and games;
  • voice, text and party chat;
  • user-created worlds, levels and media;
  • purchases and subscriptions;
  • video-sharing apps with recommendation feeds;
  • web browsing on devices that support it; and
  • accounts that synchronise activity across several devices.

The risks are therefore broader than “an adult website on the television.” A child may encounter an unsuitable video inside an otherwise permitted app, speak to an unknown player, spend money in a game or move from a public lobby into private chat.

The main safety gaps

Shared profiles. When the whole household uses one adult streaming profile, children can inherit adult recommendations and unrestricted age ratings.

Communication features. Multiplayer games can include voice and text chat with friends, friends-of-friends or strangers. Controls may differ between the console account and the game itself.

User-generated content. Age ratings describe the game or service, but they cannot always predict what another user will build, say, draw or upload.

Purchases. Stored payment details can turn small in-game prompts into unexpected spending. Loot boxes, premium currency and limited-time offers can be difficult for younger children to understand.

Apps added later. A carefully configured device can become less safe when a new browser, streaming service or communication app is installed without reviewing its settings.

Controls split across several places. A parent may need to configure the TV or console, the child’s platform account, an individual game and the streaming profile. Completing only one layer can leave another open.

What router-level filtering can—and cannot—do

Router-level filtering can reduce access to known harmful domains for devices connected to your protected home Wi-Fi. That makes it useful for smart TVs, consoles and other devices on which ordinary parental-control apps cannot be installed.

It does not understand every video, message or user-created world inside an allowed service. If a child can open a permitted video platform, DNS filtering cannot reliably judge each item shown within that platform. It also does not automatically protect a device connected through a phone hotspot, another home or a different network.

The practical answer is layered protection:

  • home-network filtering for known harmful domains;
  • console or TV controls for age ratings, communication and purchases;
  • child profiles inside streaming services;
  • game-specific privacy and chat settings; and
  • household rules that remain understandable even when the device changes.

A practical setup checklist

  1. List every connected entertainment device. Include TVs, consoles, streaming sticks, set-top boxes, handheld gaming devices and older devices in bedrooms.
  2. Create child accounts or profiles. Avoid sharing the household administrator account with children. Use the correct date of birth; many age protections depend on it.
  3. Review communication settings. Decide who can send friend requests, join voice chat, view a profile or invite the child into a private group. Check both the platform and frequently played games.
  4. Require approval for purchases. Remove unnecessary stored cards, use a purchase PIN and enable transaction notifications where the service provides them.
  5. Set age ratings deliberately. Review games and apps individually rather than assuming the platform’s default matches your family.
  6. Use separate streaming profiles. Set maturity limits and a profile PIN where available. Remember that a PIN is only useful if children do not know it.
  7. Review installed apps. Remove services that are not used and restrict new installations where possible.
  8. Keep software updated. Firmware and app updates often include security and privacy fixes.
  9. Place younger children’s devices in shared spaces. Visibility supports conversation and makes late-night use less likely without turning the home into a surveillance zone.
  10. Test the child experience. Sign in as the child and confirm what can actually be opened, purchased and communicated—not only what the parent dashboard says should happen.

Questions to ask your child

  • Who can speak to you while you play?
  • What happens if someone makes you uncomfortable?
  • Can other players send private messages or gifts?
  • Which videos or streams do you watch through the console or TV?
  • Do any games ask you to spend money to keep playing or avoid missing out?

These questions are more useful than assuming the device is safe because it sits in the lounge.

A thought to hold

The aim is not to turn family entertainment into a security project. It is to recognise that a connected screen is still part of your child’s online environment.

Fitra Guard can extend domain-level protection to supported devices connected to your protected home Wi-Fi, including devices that cannot run a parental-control app. Platform controls still matter for chat, purchases, age ratings and content within allowed services. Together, those layers close far more gaps than either can close alone.

Sources & further reading · 5 references

Last reviewed: 4 August 2026. Menus and available controls vary by model, region, account age and software version.