How to Configure Parental Controls on the Sony PLAYSTATION 3

Gaming Safety
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Introduction

Parental controls are settings you, as a parent, can impose on gaming console systems like the Sony PLAYSTATION 3, Nintendo Wii, and the Xbox 360, among others. By configuring and enabling parental controls, you stay in control of what your children play when you’re not there to supervise.

How to Configure Parental Controls on the Sony PLAYSTATION 3

Follow these steps to enable parental controls:

1. Locate the main menu.

2. Navigate to Settings.

3. Select Security Settings. (Press the X button.)

4. Locate Parental Control.

5. Select a setting from the following:

  • a. 2 – EC, Early Childhood, suitable for ages 3+.
  • b. 3 – Everyone, suitable for ages 6+.
  • c. 4 – E10+, Everyone, suitable for ages 10+.
  • d. 5 – T, Teen, suitable for ages 13+
  • e. 9 – M, Mature, created for ages 17+
  • f. 10 – AO, Adults Only, created for ages 18+

6. To block access to online game play and the Internet, select Internet Browser Start Control.

7. Select On. This will block access to the Internet and thus, online play.

8. Change the password by selecting Change Password. The default is 0000, and believe us, your kids know that. Select a four-digit password that does not represent in any way your home address, age, birthday, lucky numbers, or anything else your kids will guess. And they will.

9. After entering the new password, you’re done. Save changes and exit.

Did You Know?

You can also apply parental controls to movie DVDs and Blu-ray discs that contain an MPAA rating.

You can get additional support from www.us.playstation.com/support.

You can read more about ESRB Ratings in this article: Understanding the ESRB Video Game Rating System and from the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) web site.

Games that can be played online offer additional challenges for parents. You’ll see a note on some game packaging that says “Online Interactions Not Rated By the ESRB”. That’s because the ESRB can’t predict what might happen in a chat room, what data is shared among users, and unpredictable user-generated content.