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Nintendo Wii Parental Controls

Parents now have the option to invoke Nintendo Wii's safety features which allows them to restrict some games and online options for their child's Wii console. While the Wii's parental control system isn't perfect it does provide some relief to parents who are worried their child may be exposed to inappropriate age-level game and/or open access to the Internet content. However, because the parental controls are not perfect does mean you as the parent should continue to supervise your child's activities.

Wii Parents Control offers


The good news is that Nintendo does not allow any games with Adult ratings to be created for their consoles. So that is one less thing parents need to worry about.
When it comes to games, parents can restrict which games their child plays based on the ESRB game rating. Parents can select what is the highest ESRB rating they consider appropriate for their child to play. Remember that ESRB game rating is based on age-level ratings such has T for Teens, ages 13 and older.

A different approach to this concern would be not buying the games you believe are not be suitable or prescreening the games before you purchase them. Either way, parents should take the time to be informed of what games their child is playing. Remember if you choice not to implement the game rating controls option any game they or a friend may have can be played.

The Wii's Parental Controls only offer the extreme choices of YES or NO when it comes to Internet based connection activities. If NO is selected this prevents your child from using any of the Wii Channels which require an Internet connection without you changing the settings. The menu does allow you to block out selected channels and activities.

Currently, the Wii Parental Control Menu allows you to set the following options:
  • Restrict the user of the Wii Points on the Wii Shop Channel? YES/NO
  • Restrict the exchange of mail or other content over WiiConnect 24? YES/NO
  • Restrict the use of the Internet Channel? YES/NO
  • Restrict use of the News Channel? YES/NO
Restricting Wii Points on the Wii Shopping Channel
Allows you to control the Wii Points your child can use on the Wii Shopping Channel.
Restricting Email and other content on WiiConnect 24
This option allows parents to restrict weather or not their child can receive emails to their Wii consoles.
Restricting the Internet Channel
Wii offers the option to allow access to the Internet channel or not. This is an option you has a parent need to decide weather to control it by setting the pin number or allow full access. If you allow your child to access the Internet it is best for you to monitor their activity making sure you are able to see whatever your child is also viewing. Remember it's just like having access to your PC, where you would want to have it located in a public area within your house.
Restricting the News Channel
Parents have the option to restrict their child from view the Wii's News Channel.


Loopholes in Wii's Parental Controls


As stated before Wii's Parental Controls are not a perfect solution and there are many loopholes to getting around the parental controls for both the games ratings and accessing the Internet.

For one, since the Nintendo Wii conole is backward compatible to the Nintendo GameCube, it allows games from the GameCube to be played on the Wii. This in itself is not a bad thing; however, the GameCube did not have any parental control method therefore its games lack rating information within them. This means, that there is no way for the Wii console to block your child from playing inappropriate age rated games. So it is up to you to make sure that they are playing only what you may want them to be playing.
Limited control options are currently provided by Wii. There is currently no options to restricting other Wii Channels such has the Everyone Votes Channel or the Forecast Channel. As time goes on check for the lastest updates to the parental controls being offered by Wii. Mostly importantly, remember the parental controls are not a substitute for parents.



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