EPIC ON, a video streaming platform owned by IN10 Media Network, has announced the launch of a kids’ safety pin feature on the service as it expands its children’s content library. The platform, which has a separate section for children, offering a mix of video-on-demand and a linear feed of the network’s children’s channel, Gubbare, also plans to create originals and acquire children’s movies, edutainment, and gamification around quizzes for young audiences.

“We are constantly working towards bettering our audiences’ viewing experience. With children being indoors due to the pandemic, there has been an increase in viewership in the kids’ category, the latest feature will give control in the hands of the parents so that they can create the best experience for their children,” Sourjya Mohanty, chief operating officer – EPIC ON, IN10 Media Network said in a statement.

The new pin login feature will help parents monitor children’s viewing habits and protect them from unsuitable content for the age group, the company said. To be sure, with children remaining at home for longer periods and getting accustomed to web content during the lockdown, streaming platforms have begun to see value in animation and kids’ content. About 60 per cent of Netflix’s members globally choose to watch kids and family content every month, while the animation segment alone grew by 10 per cent in India in 2020. While many OTT players were so far banking on television content they had acquired over time, some are now investing in originals. A recent study conducted by discovery+ with a group of parents and children revealed that though parents were concerned about screen time, they were open to it as long as the content was educative and encouraging creativity. Discovery+ that premiered a movie Kaal Ki Shatir Chaal from the Little Singham franchise, is bringing out a mix of edutainment (Chopped Junior) and informative (How Do They Do it and MythBusters Jr) titles for children along with programs that hold nostalgic value for millennial parents.