Hulu

App review by Jacqueline Rupp, Common Sense Media
Hulu Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Free TV and movies online; some have iffy content.

iPhone, iPad, Android Paid, Free Photo & Video
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Parents say

age 16+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

age 10+

Based on 8 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this app.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that some of the free TV shows and movies streaming on Hulu may not be appropriate for kids. Although a lot of the content on the classic sitcoms, network dramas, and cable reality shows are fine for tweens, there are some programs, such as Prison Break, The Girls Next Door, and Saturday Night Live, that have violence, sex, and other inappropriate content that even some teens shouldn't be seeing. And, making the selection process difficult for parents, the site doesn't include a rating system or even the most basic MPAA and TV ratings. It also lacks a listing system of what type of bad stuff may be included in a show. User information, such as other websites visited and social media info is collected and shared with third party companies. Hulu recently added an opt-out feature for personal info, but users are automatically opted-in, and must go through multiple steps to remove all personal info from collection. Commercials are shown before and after all programs, unless users upgrade to a commercial-free subscription service. Sometimes, the commercials promote shows that are inappropriate for kids by showing iffy content. Read the developer's privacy policy for details on how your (or your kids') information is collected, used, and shared, and any choices you may have in the matter, and note that privacy policies and terms of service frequently change. Under the CCPA law you have the right to protect your personal information. Make a Do Not Sell request to Hulu.

Community Reviews

mroreocookie1234
mroreocookie1234 Adult
July 25, 2022
age 13+

This title has:

Too much swearing
Laurie_Strode
Laurie_Strode Adult
June 10, 2021
age 18+

Good streaming service but has flaws

Bugs The Parental Controls are useful but they don't get everything that's not appropriate. Certain movies and shows may have "blocked" you may also like titles for example the movie "Adventures in Babysitting" (an allowed movie) once said you may also like "Red Riding Hood" (a blocked movie) then that movie said you may also like "SAW" (a blocked and nearly NC-17 horror movie) and you could see the info about the blocked movies as well but not be able to play titles. Not only can movie info viewing can be bypassed but with Parental Controls on it may even block actual kid-friendly movies and shows like "Step by Step" and "Full House". Parental controls don't work well on movies with profanity and other inappropriate content if it was from one of the movie channels (HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz, etc). Some movies might even allow inappropriate trailers to be viewed but not the movie itself. Ads If you don't have the ad free subscription you could get bombarded with ads (not as many as you would get for Live TV but still lots of ads.) and even ads to inappropriate shows that are blocked with Parental Controls on. Ease of Use The functionality of the app is easy to use with organized menus and movies and show lists and an easy to use search bar. Conclusion The app is pretty good to use but I don't recommend it unless you are mature for the with restrictions on there's barely anything on Hulu for Hulu mostly has content that is PG-13, R, or higher rating.

This title has:

Easy to play/use
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

HULU.COM, the video library joint venture between NBC and FOX, hosts a slew of TV shows, movies, and interview clips available for free online. You can watch everything from tween-friendly classics like Who's the Boss? and The A-Team to newer shows such as The Office (not for tweens) and Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? (fine for tweens). There are also a growing number of full-length feature films to watch.

Is It Any Good?

Hulu.com is such a great place for entertainment it's hard to believe it's free. There are commercials, usually for about 2 minutes, before the show starts, but less than you have to sit through during a traditional TV program. The site's organization is very intuitive and there are nice features like full-screen and "lower lights" that add to the viewing enjoyment. As the site becomes more popular, the review section will probably become a top resource for what to watch. Who needs cable, when you have Hulu?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about which TV shows are appropriate for kids to watch and which ones aren't? What themes make a show good for all ages? What storylines should be reserved only for older teens and adults?

  • Are the story lines and characters in classic shows similar to today's shows? How?

App Details

  • Devices: iPhone, iPad, Android
  • Pricing structure: Paid, Free (There are four separate pricing levels, Basic (which runs $5.99/month), Premium (which runs $11.99/month and eliminated ads), Basic + Live TV (which runs $54.99/month), and Premium + Live TV (which runs $60.99/month).)
  • Release date: March 18, 2008
  • Category: Photo & Video
  • Publisher: Hulu, LLC.
  • Version: 7.3
  • Minimum software requirements: Requires iOS 12.0 or later. Requires Android 5.0 and up
  • Last updated: February 4, 2021

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