Block / Filter YouTube

jtdwab,

I looked through mine, and I couldn't find any filter either. However, like the online service of YouTube itself, the website has filters by means of creating an account. So what you might do is create an account on YouTube with limited access, and then link that to your YouTube service in the player under the Account Management settings.

In any event, you can always disable YouTube (and all other online services) temporarily by removing the LinkStick when you don't want authorized access to the player.

I'll look into this more and see if I can find anything that filters content - initially, I was unable to find anything to block the content.

--HDTech

I did try the account based YouTube filter which does not work. That was I think the filter that Samsung's support suggested.

Testing showed that the filter feature had to be selected each time you log in and was and did not help much. I could still search for and find things that I don't even want to see let alone my daugher.

Your suggestion about pulling the usb dongle would work accept its in the back of the unit in a rack setup so not really acceable. I could put it on an extention but the problem is NetFlix. We keep the streaming side of Netflix full of videos she is allowed to watch things like CareBears, The Wiggles, etc.

If there is a way to down grade I would. For that matter I have tried to re-upgrade in the hopes that I could deny the YouTube agreement and that might block it. However the player is not supporting USB upgrade right now and an online search says I am current.

If I had the money I would really think about buying a new player without those features so my daughter could still use it. For now though I am just disappointed in what has happened.

I do like that Samsung is upgrading things. There are so many products that could be upgraded even at cost but MFG. only want to force you to buy again instead of offering more features. I think most large electronics companaies are missing a revenue stream buy constantly allowing people to upgrade with new features at a cost after a year or two of free upgrades.

None the less I hope somebody moves this up at Samsung to get the system to just ask for a password before YouTube starts up. The password is there in the system it would not be that hard to add the programing to make it ask a question. I would requet that you be able to select what is protected and what is not but at least give us the option instead of giving kids free access to internet porn.

I too want an answer to this question. I just bought a Samsung Blu-Ray play to go with my new 52" Samsung TV and I do not want my daughter to have free access to Youtube. I can't believe a company would do this. I'll definitely have to return the player and get some other brand if I can't block Youtube.

The best I could come up with was to never accept the function. My daughter at this point would not wait through the 4-5 pages of usage terms. If she did try however the default menu choice is accept all the way through.

I would have returned had I not been well past that time when Samsung offered this feature.

In general its a good product and I like the easy of it connecting to my Samsung TV but on this issue they just don't seem to care. I guess because you and I and maybe 5-6 other people have called or asked its not a big enough issue to devote man-hours to change the firmware.

This problem will be fixed... Eventually.
Either by lawyers or reporters. I'm sure there are bunches of lawyers who would love to go after a big company like Samsung for giving free access to the highly inappropriate content on Youtube with their Blu-ray players. Seriously. Can you imagine if each Blu-ray player came with a disc in the box which had some of these Youtube videos on it? This is certainly not very far from that. Also, I would imagine that there are several people in the media that would love to blow a story like this out of proportion. The media just loves headlines like "Samsungs new tech toys come with free Porn!". I'm just amazed that a big company like Samsung allowed this to get past their team of lawyers.

MisterJJ,

I appreciate what you're saying, and while I don't normally respond to any posts containing "lawyers" and such, there are a few things to clarify here.

I tried for an hour - and who else gets to justify this "behavior" at work, right? - to find objectionable material. While YouTube does have 18+ content on their website, you have to log in - which requires you sign up with your birthday. That content isn't available on the YouTube widget on the Blu-Ray player.

Granted, some of the names of the videos were far exaggerated for what the content actually was, in my opinion. I understand the concerns, and I'm not unsympathetic. But I am unqualified to discuss the issue further, considering the rest of the content of your post.

In the meantime, there is a simple step you can take to avoid the whole problem, even if the kids do go through and "accept" the agreement.

In most routers, you can block keywords or specific websites - which may not be a bad idea for the concerned parent in today's household to do anyway.

Why not block www.youtube.com from the router? Then, not only is that content unavailable on the Blu-Ray player, but also the computers in the house? You can always unblock it with your admin password on the router if you decide that there's something you want to see. Since the Blu-Ray has to go through the router, you can "cut it off at the pass", so to speak.

Just a suggestion in the meantime.

But I am listening to your concerns and taking them seriously. I appreciate you, and everyone else in this thread taking the time to express your opinions.

--HDTech

Did Samsung ever create a firmware solution to this problem? I, too, am thinking we need to get rid of the player.

waterguys,

For the 2010 models, YouTube can be removed by going into the Settings menu inside of the Internet@TV interface, and by clicking on "Applications", scrolling down the list of installed Apps. Locate YouTube and then click on the picture of "the trash can". The App will be uninstalled.

For 2009 and earlier models, removing YouTube is not an option that I'm aware of.

--HDTech