Violent/explicit in-flight entertainment, unsuitable for children

[ejebrown]

Hello Mumsnet!

I recently made a trip that involved seven flights. On each flight, I had to endure violent films on other passengers' in-flight entertainment systems.

These films were clearly inappropriate for children. Yet they could been seen by children.

I wonder if we could campaign for airlines either to provide only Universal (U) rated films, or to design their screens so that only passenger sitting directly behind the screen has a clear picture.

Any ideas?

(PS I am not (yet!) a mother: when I am I know I would not want my children being exposed to violent or explicit films)

but if a stranger next to her had been watching it would have been my responsibility to distract her - not tell them what they could and could not watch.

It's not your responsibility...

Oh, you're one of those parents.

Parent your own child, stop expecting others to do it for you.

I've managed to steer 3 children through many many years of longhaul fights/other journeys without them seeing anything inappropriate. It really isn't hard.

Maple - in order to properly watch what somebody next to me on the train views on his/hers small screen or even a normal ipad I would have to sit in the lap.

I normally don't even realise what other people do unless they decide to have the volume up so I can't miss it. I have my head in my kindle where I sometimes read explicit scenes. Should I stop that in case somebody reads over my shoulder?

I think unless it is shown on a huge screen I think you can't prohibit that people may watch things you don't approve off. Any personal screen device is exactly that, a personal devise. Even if you catch a glimpse on somebody else screen would you really look at it longer than a curious view?

There are rules about how movies/TV above a certain rating are shown on an airplane.

Reading is different from explicit images.

I've had more than one man read The Sun next to me on the train/Tube and gorp at page 3 for ages, knowing there were women sat around them and having the paper open so that they could see it. This is a form of sexual harassment/intimidation. He was getting kicks out of it. It doesn't take a great leap to think of someone doing this with explicit images on a laptop or large tablet, which are highly visible to other commuters on a busy train. Not acceptable, and it isn't at all the same as reading explicit content on a Kindle, unless you are reading it out loud.

'He was getting kicks out of it.'

Because people are giving him attention.

Everyone was ignoring them, FWIW. It still felt like a threat.

Everyone was ignoring them, FWIW. It still felt like a threat.

I have noticed this before - if walking up/down the aisles you can often see what is shown on other people's screens. I guess with no sound often the clips don't see as obvious, but they are definitely visible to others.

However, not sure what could be done - seems wrong to ban grown adults from choosing what they watch - though really extreme violence and sex is an obvious one not to have available. But I am not sure I'd want a complete ban on 18 certificate movies either tbh.

Just seen the OP - I definitely don't want only U cert films!!!
Up to 15 is surely okay - as much of the content is really only enhanced when there is the sound track added. 18s I think should be dependent on the films, but would''t object if they were not available - I don't think I have seen an 18 certificate film for years.

As for children's own screens - many airlines offer parents the option to have those screens restricted to U/PG only. I would be more wary with my own screen if sat next to my child - though DD is 14 now and can cope with far more high impact films than I can tbh (yes, allowed 15s, but not 18s yet(

This has been going on for years - i remember when they just had 1 big screen for each cabin and you all had to watch the same thing, my mum complained that they were showing 'pretty woman' when I was 6. It was heavily edited but still had 'adult themes' - apparently I had spent the flight asking all sorts of questions!
Apart from properly supervising children or flying first class there isn't much you can do.

We just flew BA to the US and are returning today. Deadpool was one of the film choices. I knew my ds5 would try to see it. So guess what?!? I watched him. And they had parental controls that I worked out after awhile. I would be annoyed if they only showed u films. I fly longhaul several times a year both with my kids and alone.

I watched Deadpool, Money Monster, The Danish Girl, The Revenant and some other film on this past long-haul journey, with headphones. DD1 was next to me on the way and DS on the way back. Both were so engrossed in their own films and games they couldn't have cared less.

"I think the solution would be angled screens, for example like old style laptops, and parental controls."

Virgin Atlantic have angled screens. The other option is to install privacy screen filters so that only the viewer, who will be sat directly in front of the screen will be able to see the content. If I recall, I think VA have these on their screens as well.

Another point - surely a child isn't going to be tall enough to see what is on the screen for the seats in front of them? The photo you showed must have been taken from a standing position.

If the child has the aisle seat they could certainly see the screens diagonally opposite on the aisle.

'If the child has the aisle seat they could certainly see the screens diagonally opposite on the aisle.'

Then the parent swaps seats with the child so he/she doesn't sit in the aisle seat.

I was on a flight once and they showed the Sex and the City movie.
It was an internal flight in Russia so ordinary rules did not apply

Nickname - we fly VA a few times and you can definitely see screens when walking in the aisles or across the aisles.

If I’ve paid a large sum of money for my flight I expect to be able to watch whatever I like and not just U rated films. Just police your kids and not other adults

Zombie thread!!!

Why would you resurrect a thread from 9 years ago just to tell people this ? That is so strange.