In order to protect children from unsuitable and even harmful content in films and videos and to give consumers information they might need about a particular film or video before deciding whether or not to view it, the BBFC examines and age rates films and videos before they are released. This independent scrutiny prior to release ensures the highest possible level of protection and empowerment.
It
is important that the BBFC’s classification standards are in line with
what the public expects and that its decisions take account of what the
public finds acceptable at each age category.
Therefore
every 4-5 years, the BBFC carries out a major public consultation
exercise to find out what the public thinks about the age rating of
films and videos before they are released and whether the BBFC’s
classification standards meet public concerns.
The BBFC adjusts its standards and criteria in response to any changes in public attitudes.
These
standards are laid out in the BBFC’s Classification Guidelines which
can be downloaded below. The Guidelines detail what is acceptable at
each age category, from U to R18. They also set out the laws and
principles which impact on the BBFC’s work.
There are two key principles, laid out in the Guidelines, under which we operate:
- to empower consumers, particularly parents and those with responsibility for children, to make informed viewing decisions.
- to protect children and vulnerable adults from potentially harmful or otherwise unsuitable content.
