Tubi

Tubi
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this website.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Tubi is a movie- and TV-streaming site. The site often places ads at the start and occasionally once or twice during viewing selections, but it doesn't generally feel like you're constantly pausing to watch one. Users don't have to register to view titles, which range from kid-friendly to NR and R-rated. Many feature swearing, sex, and other content of varying intensity that's not ideal for younger viewers. Users will have to make decisions based on the content to ensure that kids are not exposed to inappropriate material.
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Children’s shows to adult content
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What’s It About?
TUBI offers a number of widely released and lesser-known free movies and shows. In addition to the usual topics, sections feature LGBTQ characters, shows that aren't available on Netflix, and award-nominated films. Categories also offer family movies, kids shows, programs for preschoolers, and development-oriented shows for babies. Users will see some familiar characters, like Eloise and the Transformers -- and ads, which may briefly interrupt viewing. Registered users can save titles to a queue; closed-captioning is available for some items.
Is It Any Good?
This web-based entertainment service offers an impressive number of titles, although not all of them are appropriate for younger viewers. Although you may not have heard of some of the shows and movies on Tubi, there's a good amount of foreign films and award-winning options, plus inspiring independent titles, music, and other selections that can broaden kids' horizons. You can't purchase a subscription or otherwise pay to avoid the occasional commercials that are shown, but they're not too intrusive -- you may, for example, only see one before and one during an hour and a half movie.
It's easy to watch things on the site; you can fast-forward or rewind movies and shows and save titles to a queue to watch later if you register. Determining which items would interest you most unfortunately isn't quite as straightforward. Users can type a title into a search field to see if it's available, and a section that lists items that are ranked highly on the Rotten Tomatoes rating site can help identify some potentially high-quality options. Separate sections list the site's most-watched movies and items that are currently trending -- but there's no easy way to filter the selections in a category to, for instance, see the most recent horror releases, or see all the items on a page that are rated PG-13. If you're willing to weed through the various sections, there are plenty of titles on hand to keep you and your family busy for a good while. But the several kids-focused categories are the only places to reliably avoid R-rated films and mature TV series. Generally, Tubi can be a worthwhile free entertainment resource for adults. But for kids under 17 who are viewing it independently, the potential for exposure to mature content probably isn't worth the gratis access to movies and shows.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why ratings exist. What makes a movie or TV show appropriate for a certain age? Do you think some kids can handle more than others? Why?
Is there a benefit to one streaming service over another? Is there one that seems better to you?
Website Details
- Subjects: Social Studies: cultural understanding, global awareness, Arts: acting, film, Hobbies: cooking, sports
- Skills: Emotional Development: empathy, Communication: listening, Responsibility & Ethics: embracing differences, respect for others, Health & Fitness: exercise
- Genre: Video Sites
- Pricing structure: Free
- Last updated: August 18, 2020
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love video
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