Amazon has been formally reprimanded by the UK's communications regulator after a serious error led to a child being shown a film containing strong sexual content instead of the family-friendly movie they had rented.
What Happened: A Distressing Mix-Up
The incident occurred when a family attempted to rent the popular children's film Diary of a Wimpy Kid via Amazon's Prime Video service. Instead of the PG-rated comedy, the platform began playing the 2010 romantic drama Love & Other Drugs, starring Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal.
This film carries a British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) 15 certificate, explicitly for "strong sex, sex references and language." The child's parent immediately realised the mistake and the inappropriate content was halted.
Ofcom's Investigation and Ruling
The complainant contacted media watchdog Ofcom after receiving no response from Amazon following three separate phone calls. Ofcom launched an investigation and found Amazon in clear violation of its programming code.
The regulator stated that Amazon had broken ODPS Rule 12. This rule requires on-demand programme services to take "appropriate measures" to ensure that specially restricted material is not normally accessible to persons under the age of 18.
"After the selected content began playing, the complainant became aware that the film that had actually played was a different film containing strong sexual content," Ofcom said in its ruling.
Amazon's Response and Systemic Issue
Amazon apologised for the error and told Ofcom the technical problem was identified and fixed within 48 hours. However, the company revealed that during the period the fault was active, 122 other customers had also attempted to access Diary of a Wimpy Kid and could have been affected.
Ofcom noted that the film was only available via rental or purchase, not as part of a subscription. This meant it was not automatically blocked on child profiles, which by default restrict such transactions.
While acknowledging Amazon's assurances that it had updated its procedures to prevent a recurrence, Ofcom upheld the breach. It emphasised that providers must "act quickly in circumstances where they become aware of ongoing issues that may result in harm to children."
The case highlights the potential pitfalls of digital content delivery and the critical importance of robust parental controls. For parents, it serves as a reminder to remain vigilant even when using curated platforms and child profiles.
