What are we solving?
Parents have several primary pain points around media online, whether it’s YouTube or another streaming service like Disney+ or Netflix. Let’s take a look at them one at a time, and see how Calypso addresses the issues.
1. Content filters are not good enough.
YouTube Kids, children’s settings on Amazon and Netflix, etc. are generic filters - they are designed to generally block content that is targeted towards adults, or inappropriate for kids. And on the whole, they are… OK. They tend to prevent kids from accidentally stumbling upon the least appropriate content, but they have some weaknesses. Some content is designed to look kid-friendly but really features themes or behavior that many people don’t want their kids exposed to. Additionally, there is a lot of mindless ‘slop’ featuring bizarro-world versions of beloved kids characters, especially on YouTube Kids. But most importantly: not every household has the same views on what is appropriate and inappropriate.
Calypso puts the control in the hands of the parents. The administrator for the account (the parent) selects every piece of content that the kids can view. There is no generic ‘kids’ filter to worry about, and no looking over their shoulder after-the-fact. Kids can only see what a parent has approved.
2. Suggested content
YouTube is probably the worst offender in this regard, but every streaming services advertises their catalog to users. This is no different for kids. Once a user has watched one video, related content is suggested to the viewer. Normal users have absolutely no control over this ecosystem of what gets advertised to them, aside from their own viewing habits. Kids simply see the advertised content, and ask about it.
Calypso has no suggested content. Period. This is one of the main benefits of our application: regardless of the movie, show, or channel you are watching, additional content cannot be prompted to a viewer who is in Calypso.
3. Auto-Play
At the end of a given episode or video, every streaming service unfailingly starts the next one. For a normal person with less-than-desired self-control (much less a child), this makes it far too easy to let time pass uncounted. At the end of every Calypso video, the user is returned to the home menu screen. The user would have to go seek out the next episode to start it.
4. App Hopping
Perusing through all of your services to find the one show or channel you want to watch is a nightmare. Calypso combines all of your services into a single application, so you don’t have to go from one to the other to find what you want to watch. You can use the same features for kids as for adults, pre-selecting all of your favorite shows and movies for your own account, and then using Calypso for the best viewing experience.
At this moment in time, we are putting the finishing touches on version one, and want you to sign up for the waitlist. Visit launch.calypsocurate.com. If you join the waitlist, you’ll get Calypso for $5/month for life! (As soon as we launch, it will be $9/month.) Additionally, if you’re at the top of the leaderboard (through sharing with your friends) you will have the chance to get Calypso for free for a year, or even for life!
