BBFC announces efforts to classify online video

[Acorn Newsbot]

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Movies and videos have been subject to age-appropriate classifications, assigned by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), since 1912, and although they are not legally binding, local authorities almost always follow BBFC advice.
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Currently, movies are graded in terms of:
U – Universal, suitable for all ages.
PG – Parental Guidance, meaning some scenes may be unsuitable for younger children and require parental discretion.
12 – Content has been deemed unsuitable for children under the age of 12. Games and movies will not be sold to under-12s.
12A – Children younger than 12 can view the content if accompanied by an adult who watches the content with them. The ‘A’ stands for ‘accompanied’ and ‘advisory’.
15 - Content has been deemed unsuitable for children and teenagers under the age of 15. Games and movies will not be sold to under-15s.
18 - Content has been deemed unsuitable for adults under the age of 18 due to scenes of strong violence, or sexual content. Games and movies will not be sold to under-18s.
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The online video problem
Unlike movies at the cinema, or DVDs for sale in high street stores, online video content rarely carries any form of age-rating. Occasionally, you may see links or pages labelled as NSFW (Not Safe For Work), which gives some indication that the attached video is likely to contain swearing, violence or sexual content – hence being unsuitable for viewing in the workplace, and almost certainly inappropriate for children.
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Netiquette suggests that web users should use the NSFW label as a voluntary warning to other users where there is a risk that linked content could cause offence. However, if you are unaware of its meaning, or fail to check, you or your children could end up viewing something inappropriate.
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There is no obligation to use NSFW to warn web users about video content. And NSFW is an inflexible rating; what is suitable for a 15 year old is unlikely to be suitable for an eight year old. In which case, almost all content would need to be flagged as NSFW just in case it causes offence or is viewed by a young child.
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Addressing the balance
The BBFC already provides a voluntary rating service, known as “Watch and Rate”, to “official” online video providers, helping define appropriate age limits for streaming movies. On demand video service provider Netflix had the BBFC rate their online-only series “House of Cards”, for instance. According to the BBFC’s annual report, requests for the “Watch and Rate” service increased by 40% in 2012.
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The BBFC has recognised the problem of age-appropriate content for less-official online channels, and is now proposing a ratings system similar to the current video and game classifications scheme. Working with the Dutch media regulator NICAM, the BBFC hopes to introduce a classification system for “user generated content”. User generated content forms the vast majority of YouTube content, for example, with videos created and uploaded by members of the public.
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Rather than a complete replication of the existing certifications system, the BBFC hopes to introduce a “traffic light” equivalent that gives clear guidance to web users on what to expect from a video in advance. The actual ratings are to be calculated based on:
• The video owner’s own feedback, in which they are expected to provide basic details on content when the file is uploaded.
• People viewing the video will be asked to provide feedback in some way to help clarify ratings.
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This feedback will then help assign a coloured symbol for each video:
G -* A green symbol denotes a video that is suitable for general viewing by anyone.
T – An orange symbol showing that content is only suitable for teenagers or older. This is probably equivalent to a 15 certificate at the cinema.
AO – A red symbol that denotes content is suitable for Adults Only, equivalent to the 18 certificate.
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Going global
Although the BBFC only provides ratings information for the British public, there is already global interest in its proposed online traffic light system. An Italian broadcaster has already agreed to trial the prototype solution, and the BBFC is eagerly seeking other international media companies with whom they can partner to test the solution.
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Because feedback is provided by normal web users across the world, media companies will be able to assign traffic light ratings based on local cultural differences. What is thought to be acceptable for teenagers in the UK, may not be in the United Arab Emirates for instance. This is why the BBFC is looking for international partners to trial the service.
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What about now?
For parents concerned about inappropriate online content, the proposed traffic light system is a welcome announcement, but does not address the situation now. Nor does the traffic light prevent children ignoring the warnings and clicking through regardless.
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Far more effective is the use of parental control systems that can control access to adult content. Most of these solutions also include settings that allow you to adjust ratings for the changing needs of your children as they grow up. These tools should of course be accompanied by a frank discussion about the “adult” side of the internet, and why these filters are necessary to protect your children.





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