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Interactive TV
What is interactive TV?
Interactive TV allows you to interact with television content as you view it – for example, you could vote in a competition, take part in a games show, comment on a programme, rewind or fast forward.
It’s available with digital TV services, such as digital terrestrial, satellite and cable, and can also be accessed via computers (on a broadband connection) and mobiles. BBC Red Button and Sky+ are two examples of interactive TV services in the UK.
Increasingly, the boundaries between media are blurring, with social networking sites like MySpace and mobile providers like Vodafone distributing TV content.
What do I need to know about it?
The impact of TV on children and teenagers has always been the subject of much debate. How much TV is too much? What kind of programmes are appropriate or inappropriate? Who’s in charge of the remote control?!
Did you know?
Falling prices, the digital switchover and the rising popularity of video games contributed towards 10 million televisions being sold in the UK in 2009, according to market research firm GfK
Interactive TV gives your family greater control over the programmes you watch and helps you all get more involved in them but you also need to bear in mind some of the following issues:
- The large number of digital TV channels could mean your kids come into contact with programmes that aren’t appropriate for their age or maturity – they might access violent, erotic or gambling content, for example
- Your son or daughter might receive more advertising messages via interactive TV and, in the case of younger children in particular, they might find it difficult to differentiate between editorial and advertising
- Every time you use your remote control, you’re giving information to the broadcaster that enables them to build a detailed profile of your viewing habits and your family, which could be passed on to advertisers
- If your child has a 3G phone that they can watch TV on, there might be additional costs involved – a monthly access fee, data charges, a charge to take part in an interactive quiz, or a fee for downloading a ringtone of their favourite TV theme tune, for example
What can I do?
- As with any technology, agree some boundaries with your son or daughter – discuss which channels you’re happy for them to watch and at what time and decide what’s appropriate in terms of them interacting with the TV (eg is it OK for them to enter competitions using the red button?)
- Explain to younger children in particular that some of the things they see on TV are adverts, not programmes. You can find more information in our article about online & mobile advertising
- Remember you’re not just watching interactive TV, it’s watching you too – explain to your kids that every time they use the remote control, their viewing patterns are being recorded and could be used for marketing purposes
- If your child has a 3G phone and can access mobile TV, talk to them about the cost of the service. Read our article about mobile costs for more information
- Make the most of built-in Parental Controls that your TV, internet or mobile provider might offer
Where can I go for more information and support?
- You can read about interactive TV services on various broadcasters’ websites, such as the BBC and Sky
- CBBC iPlayer, which is aimed at 6-12 year olds, provides a parental guidance lock to prevent your child from accessing inappropriate content
- Visit the Ofcom website for information about Parental Controls and interactive TV
- For further details about mobile TV, visit your mobile provider’s website
FAQs related to this article
Find out more about Parental Controls
How old are your kids?
What you need to know to get started
- 5-7 years old
Technology is part of your child's life before they start primary school. They're probably using the computer, the internet and interactive TV for fun - watching programmes on the CBeebies channel and website or taking part in the Club Penguin chat rooms...but they still need adult guidance and supervision.
- 8-11 years old
If you have 8-11 year old children, your house is probably full of technology - PlayStation, Nintendo, iPod...the list goes on. In fact, research shows that 8-11 year olds in the UK have an average of four media devices in their bedroom.
This is a crucial age for young people to embrace new technologies and develop their ICT skills both at home and at school...and it's a crucial time for you to take control when they start exploring the digital world as well as the real world.
- 12-14 years old
They're at secondary school and growing up fast. It's a time of change and their digital world might seem as important as the real world to them. They might spend their evenings on Bebo, Facebook or MySpace ; watching videos on YouTube and uploading their own for others to watch; or doing research for their homework.
You want to encourage their technology and social skills, of course, so it's useful to understand what they're doing with technology and to get involved with it.
- 15+ years old
Once your children are teenagers, it might be tempting to think that they're tech-savvy and dealing with everything the virtual world can throw at them. You probably watch in awe as they switch from chatting with friends on Facebook to updating their Twitter profile; playing against someone on the other side of the world on their games console to downloading music on their mobile.
It's all great fun but, as they get older, the things you need to help them to cope with in their digital world are ever more challenging. Far from leaving them to it, you really need to keep communicating with them.
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