The family online safety quiz
Sit down together and take it in turns. Eight true or false questions on filters, devices and talking about life online. Nothing is saved, shared or collected, and there is no timer.
BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media all give customers free parental controls, but no filter is 100% effective. Home broadband filters do not follow a phone onto mobile data, so combine them with device controls and regular conversations.
What you will learn
- 1What broadband filters do, and do not do
- 2Why device and console controls matter too
- 3How to keep the conversation going
Why it matters
Home broadband filters are a good first layer. The big providers give them free, and once they are on, every device using your home Wi-Fi gets the same protection. But they stop at your front door: a phone on mobile data, a friend's Wi-Fi or a game's chat all sit outside them.
That is why the UK Safer Internet Centre's advice combines three things: the filter, the controls built into phones, tablets and consoles, and talking with children so they know they can come to you. Playing this quiz together is a good way to start that conversation.
Every answer, explained
Spoilers below. Play first, then open any question to see the answer, the reason and the source.
1. BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media all give their customers free parental controls.
Answer: True
True. The UK Safer Internet Centre has a video guide for each one.
2. No filter or parental controls tool is 100% effective.
Answer: True
True, so filters work best alongside device settings and regular conversations.
3. A home broadband filter keeps working when a child's phone switches to mobile data.
Answer: False
False. Home filters only cover devices using your home connection. On mobile data, the phone relies on its own settings.
4. Games consoles, smartphones and tablets have their own parental controls too.
Answer: True
True. They can limit spending, restrict apps by age rating and control who children can chat with.
Source: UK Safer Internet Centre, ISP parental controls; BroadbandSwitch.uk console controls guide
5. The Friendly WiFi symbol shows that public Wi-Fi has filters to limit access to pornographic content.
Answer: True
True. Look out for it in shops, cafes and restaurants.
6. Once you switch on a broadband filter, it can never be switched off by accident.
Answer: False
False. Filters can reset when you change router or accept an update, so it is worth checking yours is still live.
7. Talking with children about staying safe online is part of the expert advice, alongside filters.
Answer: True
True. Make sure they know they can come to you for help.
8. A new PS5's parental controls passcode starts as 0000, so it is worth changing.
Answer: True
True. Change it when you set up Family Management, and set age ratings, playtime and spending limits at the same time.
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Questions people ask
- Are broadband parental controls free?
- Yes. The UK Safer Internet Centre says BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media all provide free parental controls to their customers, and many other providers offer router or network filters too.
- Do broadband filters work on mobile data?
- No. A home broadband filter only covers devices using your home connection. On mobile data, a phone relies on its own settings and the mobile network's controls.
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How we checked this quiz
Every answer was checked on 9 November 2026 against the source listed with it, mostly Ofcom and the companies that publish the figures, and dated figures say when they apply. Questions that depend on a date, such as compensation amounts that rise each April, are hidden automatically once they pass their review date, so the quiz never shows an out-of-date answer. Your scores, badges and streaks are kept on this device only. Nothing from this quiz is sent anywhere.
References
- Martin-Smith, A. J. (2026). The complete UK ISP parental controls guide for 2026. BroadbandSwitch.uk. https://broadbandswitch.uk/online-safety/uk-isp-parental-controls/
- Martin-Smith, A. J. (2026, May 7). Gaming console parental controls UK guide 2026. BroadbandSwitch.uk. https://broadbandswitch.uk/online-safety/gaming-console-controls/
- UK Safer Internet Centre. (2021, November 17). Parental controls offered by your home internet provider. https://saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/parental-controls-offered-by-your-home-internet-provider
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