May 23rd 2007

BBFC Annual Report Published - BBFC to Pilot Online Classification

The BBFC is working closely with the film industry to develop a means of classifying films which will be available to download via the internet. An industry/BBFC working party has come up with plans which will enable consumers to have access to the same BBFC category information and Consumer Advice as they currently enjoy with cinema films and DVDs, at point of online hire or sale.

David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said in the BBFC 2006 Annual Report:

“The BBFC is not seeking an open-ended regulatory role on the internet; the focus here is on material which would previously have been delivered in physical film or DVD format. We are keen to show that the BBFC is prepared to be open-minded and imaginative in responding to the challenges and opportunities of new media.

“The response of the industry to this initiative has been extremely positive. We are currently working on a pilot scheme with several key industry players, covering the family entertainment end of the market through to the adult industry. We are also talking to the games industry about the possibility of classifying some online games. Recent research carried out for us showed that 84 per cent of people would like to see the BBFC classifications applied to films downloaded via the internet and this rose to 91 per cent of parents. This is not surprising when one considers that many downloads are likely to be offered on a ‘download to burn’ basis by which the consumer ends up with a DVD just like the one being sold on the high street. As well as the known and trusted classification category symbols, downloaded films will come with an online version of the BBFC’s ‘black card’, which is so much a part of the cinema going experience.

“This co-regulatory approach is very much in line with the latest version of the Audio-Visual Media Services Directive, covering online media services. The BBFC is also a member of the Cross-Industry Audiovisual Content Information Group, an Ofcom backed initiative aimed at establishing common principles for the labelling of online content.”

The report also highlights another busy year for the BBFC, with works classified rising from 16,958 in 2005 to 18,103 in 2006. Only one work was rejected in 2006, an ‘R18’ work – the category reserved for hard core pornography available only through licensed sex shops – called Struggle in Bondage. The work consisted of a series of sequences depicting women bound and gagged, writhing and struggling against their restraints. The struggling and whimpering of the women appears calculated to suggest that they have been bound against their will and it is clear from the manner of presentation that the work is intended to stimulate sexual arousal in the viewer. Because of the lack of obvious consent, and in line with the Board’s policies on sexual violence, the work was rejected as cuts would not have left a viable work. Around a quarter of ‘R18’ works were cut in 2006.

Ten of the 555 cinema films submitted in 2006 were cut, mainly for category, but over ten per cent of films submitted with a category request were given a higher category. Where material is considered unsuitable for a younger audience the Board prefers to place it in a higher category rather than impose cuts.

A record number of video games – 298 – were submitted in 2006. Video games only have to come to the BBFC for classification if they lose their exemption under the terms of the Video Recordings Act because they contain certain material including strong violence, sex or useful criminal techniques. The majority of games are subject to a voluntary self assessment rating through the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) organisation. The increase in digital media submissions to the BBFC is due largely to the amount of linear video content which is now present in most games. This frequently results in the work losing its ‘exempt’ status unless designed to inform, educate and instruct. Many games are based on popular films and television shows, and it is not unusual for actual clips or digitally rendered ones to be included in the game.

The BBFC 2006 Annual Report includes the accounts for the year along with information about the work of the Board during the year. Copies of the Annual Report can be obtained from the BBFC, 3 Soho Square, London W1D 3HD or can be downloaded from the BBFC main website, www.bbfc.co.uk