This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jan/13/bbfc-wants-age-rating-system-introduced-online-videos
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| BBFC plans to introduce age ratings for music videos | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| If it's not Miley Cyrus licking a sledgehammer, it's Robin Thicke cavorting with naked women or Lily Allen having liposuction and getting dancers to twerk for her. It has sometimes felt as if barely a week goes by without a new pop video cause celebre generating massive online traffic and causing outrage in equal measure. Now the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has said it wants an age-rating system for online videos introduced as soon as possible. | If it's not Miley Cyrus licking a sledgehammer, it's Robin Thicke cavorting with naked women or Lily Allen having liposuction and getting dancers to twerk for her. It has sometimes felt as if barely a week goes by without a new pop video cause celebre generating massive online traffic and causing outrage in equal measure. Now the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has said it wants an age-rating system for online videos introduced as soon as possible. |
| Following the issuing of new classification guidance from the BBFC on Monday, the organisation's assistant director, David Austin, said it was responding to pressure from parents who were concerned about the sexual imagery freely available to children who had access to the web, having already begun reviewing videos by artists such as Metallica, Robbie Williams and Beyoncé which had been submitted on a voluntary basis. | Following the issuing of new classification guidance from the BBFC on Monday, the organisation's assistant director, David Austin, said it was responding to pressure from parents who were concerned about the sexual imagery freely available to children who had access to the web, having already begun reviewing videos by artists such as Metallica, Robbie Williams and Beyoncé which had been submitted on a voluntary basis. |
| Austin said it was working with the BPI, the body representing the UK music industry, and Google in a pilot project to see how classification might work, though there were questions about how videos created abroad could be rated. | Austin said it was working with the BPI, the body representing the UK music industry, and Google in a pilot project to see how classification might work, though there were questions about how videos created abroad could be rated. |
| "Google has said that if we start to age-rate videos, they will carry the BBFC age rating," Austin said. "They've also said they will look at the possibility of parental controls in relation to age rating." | "Google has said that if we start to age-rate videos, they will carry the BBFC age rating," Austin said. "They've also said they will look at the possibility of parental controls in relation to age rating." |
| Indicating the direction the board is heading, the latest guidance states: "The classification of a music video will take account of any elements which are of concern to parents, including glamorisation of behaviour which they consider inappropriate." | Indicating the direction the board is heading, the latest guidance states: "The classification of a music video will take account of any elements which are of concern to parents, including glamorisation of behaviour which they consider inappropriate." |
| The guidance was based on consultation with more than 10,000 people, which found widespread parental concern about explicit imagery in music videos, with complaints from parents about videos that were "just porn", or showed "the use of drugs and self-harm, which makes it seem that … this is normal and this is how you want to be". | The guidance was based on consultation with more than 10,000 people, which found widespread parental concern about explicit imagery in music videos, with complaints from parents about videos that were "just porn", or showed "the use of drugs and self-harm, which makes it seem that … this is normal and this is how you want to be". |
| The results of the consultation supported previous reviews of music video content. The government's 2011 review of the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood conducted by Reg Bailey, chief executive of the Mothers' Union, had called for age ratings for videos, prompting David Cameron to warn the music industry to police itself or face regulation | The results of the consultation supported previous reviews of music video content. The government's 2011 review of the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood conducted by Reg Bailey, chief executive of the Mothers' Union, had called for age ratings for videos, prompting David Cameron to warn the music industry to police itself or face regulation |
| The engagement of Google and other digital service providers is crucial, the BPI agreed. "In order for such for age ratings to be really effective, BPI believes that they need to be accompanied by automatic filters that parents can activate to ensure that their children only view age-appropriate material online," said a BPI spokesman. However, given that the BPI said it was working only on UK-produced music videos, questions remain over the fate of the likes of Thicke's Blurred Lines video, Cyrus's Wrecking Ball clip and others created abroad. | The engagement of Google and other digital service providers is crucial, the BPI agreed. "In order for such for age ratings to be really effective, BPI believes that they need to be accompanied by automatic filters that parents can activate to ensure that their children only view age-appropriate material online," said a BPI spokesman. However, given that the BPI said it was working only on UK-produced music videos, questions remain over the fate of the likes of Thicke's Blurred Lines video, Cyrus's Wrecking Ball clip and others created abroad. |
| Despite the unanswered questions, Rewind&Reframe, a group campaigning against sexist and racist music videos, welcomed the first moves towards age rating. Sarah Green, Rewind&Reframe's spokeswoman, condemned a "race to the bottom" in video content and said it was a matter of concern not just to parents, but to women concerned about sexist and racist images in pop promos. | Despite the unanswered questions, Rewind&Reframe, a group campaigning against sexist and racist music videos, welcomed the first moves towards age rating. Sarah Green, Rewind&Reframe's spokeswoman, condemned a "race to the bottom" in video content and said it was a matter of concern not just to parents, but to women concerned about sexist and racist images in pop promos. |
| The new BBFC guidance, which comes into force on 24 February, also changes the certification guidelines for films. The board will take theme and tone into greater consideration when certificating films, especially those expected to be 12/12A or 15, and will pay attention to the psychological impact of horror films. | The new BBFC guidance, which comes into force on 24 February, also changes the certification guidelines for films. The board will take theme and tone into greater consideration when certificating films, especially those expected to be 12/12A or 15, and will pay attention to the psychological impact of horror films. |
| The board said in future it would further examine "gore" among the strong visual detail that may be featured in films. | The board said in future it would further examine "gore" among the strong visual detail that may be featured in films. |
| It will also be tougher on strong language in films that are aimed at family audiences while being more flexible for films that are at the 15 classification after public research showed that context rather than frequency was the key factor for viewers. | It will also be tougher on strong language in films that are aimed at family audiences while being more flexible for films that are at the 15 classification after public research showed that context rather than frequency was the key factor for viewers. |
| During the research people were asked how issues such as sex, violence and bad language should be handled, looking at 60 films and videos. The majority backed the classification levels of films they had seen recently, with nine out of 10 believing that The Woman In Black – which has brought the most complaints of the past four years – had been correctly issued with a 12A certificate. | During the research people were asked how issues such as sex, violence and bad language should be handled, looking at 60 films and videos. The majority backed the classification levels of films they had seen recently, with nine out of 10 believing that The Woman In Black – which has brought the most complaints of the past four years – had been correctly issued with a 12A certificate. |
| The BBFC's director, David Cooke, said: "Our new classification guidelines reflect explicitly concerns raised by the public during the 2013 consultation and will, I believe, ensure that we continue to be in step with what the public wants and expects in order to make sensible and informed viewing decisions." | The BBFC's director, David Cooke, said: "Our new classification guidelines reflect explicitly concerns raised by the public during the 2013 consultation and will, I believe, ensure that we continue to be in step with what the public wants and expects in order to make sensible and informed viewing decisions." |
| He admitted that even after 12 years of use, some viewers were still confused by the 12A rating. | He admitted that even after 12 years of use, some viewers were still confused by the 12A rating. |
| "We and the film industry will work during 2014 to improve understanding of this very important rating," he said. | "We and the film industry will work during 2014 to improve understanding of this very important rating," he said. |
| Controversial videos – five that have shocked | Controversial videos – five that have shocked |
| Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Relax (1983) DJ Mike Read called on the BBC to stop playing the song, featuring Holly Johnson, below. The video, set in a gay S&M party, was considered so risque the band filmed a new clip. | Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Relax (1983) DJ Mike Read called on the BBC to stop playing the song, featuring Holly Johnson, below. The video, set in a gay S&M party, was considered so risque the band filmed a new clip. |
| Belouis Some: Imagination (1985) Full-length clip for Neville Keighley's biggest hit featured nudity, which meant it could only be seen in nightclubs. | Belouis Some: Imagination (1985) Full-length clip for Neville Keighley's biggest hit featured nudity, which meant it could only be seen in nightclubs. |
| Madonna: Erotica (1992) Considered so explicit it could only be shown on MTV after midnight. Still pales by comparison with her book Sex. | Madonna: Erotica (1992) Considered so explicit it could only be shown on MTV after midnight. Still pales by comparison with her book Sex. |
| The Prodigy: Smack My Bitch Up (1997) The lyrics led to a BBC ban, and the video – which appeared to feature a litany of appalling male behaviour, until a twist at the end – didn't help matters. | The Prodigy: Smack My Bitch Up (1997) The lyrics led to a BBC ban, and the video – which appeared to feature a litany of appalling male behaviour, until a twist at the end – didn't help matters. |
| MIA: Born Free (2010) YouTube banned this nine-minute depiction of a genocide of red-haired people. It also divided music critics. | MIA: Born Free (2010) YouTube banned this nine-minute depiction of a genocide of red-haired people. It also divided music critics. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
Previous version
1
Next version