Method and apparatus for managing viewing of media content

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a set-top box comprising a processor, a library comprising a plurality of media program tags associated with a plurality of media programs, wherein a first media program is associated with a first media program tag and a second media program tag of the plurality of media program tags, wherein the first media program tag is associated with a first media channel of a plurality of tunable channels, wherein the second media program tag is associated with a second media channel of the plurality of tunable channels, wherein the first media program tag differs from the second media program tag, and wherein the first media channel differs from the second media channel;

presenting, by the set-top box, selectable options from the plurality of media programs of the library;

detecting, by the set-top box, assignments of the plurality of media programs to a restricted list or to an unrestricted list, the assignments based on selective drag-and-drop operations via a graphical user interface;

generating, by the set-top box, parental control information for each of a plurality of users according to the assignments;

receiving, by the set-top box, biometric information to identify each of the plurality of users;

receiving, by the set-top box, a first request to utilize the set-top box for viewing media programs at a presentation device coupled to the set-top box;

detecting, by the set-top box, a first user of the plurality of users initiating the first request according to the biometric information of the first user;

identifying, by the set-top box, the parental control information associated with the first user;

tuning, by the set-top box, to the first media channel responsive to receiving a second request;

receiving, by the set-top box, in the first media channel the first media program tag associated with the first media program, wherein the first media program tag is included in the plurality of media program tags of the library;

detecting in the first media channel a second media program without an associated media program tag;

selecting a custom media program tag from a list of unused media program tags stored in the set-top box;

associating the second media program with the custom media program tag, so that the custom media program tag uniquely identifies the second media program; and

enabling, by the set-top box, presentation of the first media program at the presentation device responsive to detecting from the parental control information associated with the first user that the first media program tag is included in a first list of unrestricted media program presentations.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting, by the set-top box, a second user of the plurality of users in a viewing area of the presentation device according to the biometric information of the second user;

identifying, by the set-top box, the parental control information associated with the second user; and

disabling, by the set-top box, presentation of the first media program at the presentation device responsive to detecting from the parental control information associated with the second user that the first media program tag is included in a second list of restricted media program presentations.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising recording the first media program while the presentation is disabled.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein presentation is disabled by preventing a viewing of images of the first media program.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting information related to a plurality of libraries of media program tags associated with media programs, wherein the information is supplied by network equipment of a supplier of the plurality of libraries, and wherein the library received by the set-top box is included in the plurality of libraries.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the library is received by the set-top box responsive to a selection of the library from the plurality of libraries.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of libraries comprises an aggregate rating determined from feedback provided to the network equipment of the supplier by a social network of users.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving user input from one of the plurality of users comprising a rating of the library; and

submitting the rating to network equipment of the supplier for updating the aggregate rating of the library.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

recording the custom media program tag in the library.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

sending a message to equipment of a parental control administrator to update the parental control information of each of the plurality of users according to the second media program; and

updating the parental control information of each of the plurality of users according to user input received from the equipment of the parental control administrator.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising instructions which, responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

generating parental control information for each of a plurality of users according to options selected from a plurality of media program tags retrieved from a library, wherein a first media program is associated with a first media program tag and a second media program tag of the plurality of media program tags, wherein the first media program tag is associated with a first media channel of a plurality of tunable channels, wherein the second media program tag is associated with a second media channel of the plurality of tunable channels, wherein the first media program tag differs from the second media program tag, and wherein the first media channel differs from the second media channel;

detecting assignments of the plurality of media programs to a restricted list or to an unrestricted list, the assignments based on parental control administrator inputs via a graphical user interface;

detecting a first user of the plurality of users according to biometric information of the first user;

identifying the parental control information associated with the first user;

tuning to the first media channel responsive to receiving a first request;

receiving in the first media channel the first media program tag associated with the first media program, wherein the first media program tag is included in the plurality of media program tags of the library;

detecting in the first media channel a second media program without an associated media program tag;

selecting a custom media program tag from a list of unused media program tags stored in the storage medium;

associating the second media program with the custom media program tag, so that the custom media program tag uniquely identifies the second media program; and

enabling presentation of the first media program at a presentation device responsive to detecting from the parental control information associated with the first user that the first media program tag is included in a first list of unrestricted media program presentations.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the library from network equipment; and

presenting selectable options from the plurality of media programs of the library.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein generating the parental control information is responsive to options selected from the plurality of media programs of the library.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise monitoring a viewing area of the presentation device to detect one of the plurality of users entering the viewing area.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise recording biometric information for each of the plurality of users.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations comprise:

detecting a second user of the plurality of users in a viewing area of the presentation device according to the biometric information of the second user;

identifying the parental control information associated with the second user; and

disabling presentation of the first media program at the presentation device responsive to detecting from the parental control information associated with the second user that the first media program tag is included in a second list of restricted media program presentations.

17. A set-top box, comprising:

a sensor;

a memory to store executable instructions; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and the memory, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, the processor performs operations comprising:

generating parental control information for each of a plurality of users according to options selected from a plurality of media program tags retrieved from a library comprising a plurality of media programs, wherein a first media program of the plurality of media programs is associated with a first media program tag and a second media program tag of the plurality of media program tags, wherein the first media program tag is associated with a first media channel of a plurality of tunable channels, wherein the second media program tag is associated with a second media channel of the plurality of tunable channels, wherein the first media program tag differs from the second media program tag, and wherein the first media channel differs from the second media channel;

detecting assignments of the plurality of media programs to a restricted list or to an unrestricted list by a parental control administrator;

sensing a first user of the plurality of users according to biometric information of the first user;

obtaining the parental control information associated with the first user;

receiving in a first media channel a first media program tag associated with a first media program, wherein the first media program tag is included in the plurality of media program tags of the library;

detecting in the first media channel a second media program without an associated media program tag;

selecting a custom media program tag from a list of unused media program tags stored in the set-top box;

associating the second media program with the custom media program tag, so that the custom media program tag uniquely identifies the second media program; and

enabling presentation of the first media program at a presentation device responsive to detecting from the parental control information associated with the first user that the first media program tag is included in a first list of unrestricted media program presentations.

18. The set-top box of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting a second user of the plurality of users in a viewing area of the presentation device according to the biometric information of the second user;

identifying the parental control information associated with the second user; and

disabling presentation of the first media program at the presentation device responsive to detecting from the parental control information associated with the second user that the first media program tag is included in a second list of restricted media program presentations.

19. The set-top box of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises a camera.