While the BBFC can do nothing about individual cases, we recognise that this is a matter of some concern to the public. We have had a number of complaints which we have raised with the Cinema Exhibitors Association (CEA), the industry body for cinemas throughout the UK. Cinema managers have the power to refuse entry to anyone whom they reasonably consider to be disruptive. We would strongly recommend that anyone whose enjoyment of a film is spoiled by noisy or disruptive young children should make their views known to cinema managers or staff.

Publications in the UK, including books and magazines, are subject to UK law such as the Obscene Publications Acts and the Protection of Children Act 1978, as well as laws governing incitement to hatred on racial, religious and sexual orientation grounds. There have also been occasional attempts to block the publication of some books in the UK which have been felt by the Government to threaten national security.

Some publishers have introduced their own guidance on the suitability of their books for particular age groups. This advice is usually published on the cover of the book.

Theatrical censorship was abolished in 1968. However, venues still have to comply with the terms and conditions of their license and this may include regulating the admission of children. Some venues will also provide warnings as to the nature of a production and suggest age recommendations for particular performances.

The BBFC’s Guidelines for language at ‘15’ note that ‘there may be frequent use of strong language (for example, ‘fuck’). The strongest terms (for example, ‘cunt’) may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable’.

The question of language is one of the more problematic areas of classification on account of the considerably diverse views on the subject within the UK. We recognise the significant offence caused to some viewers by very strong language, especially when delivered to a female character by a male or is used in a crude sexual sense or uttered aggressively. This potential offence is taken into account when we classify films and DVDs. However, the use of very strong language in ’15′ rated works is not unprecedented, and occurs in a range of different films such as ATONEMENT and IN THE LOOP where the context of the language has been either pivotal to the narrative or illustrates moments of extreme emotion. To classify these films ’18′ – when all the other issues could be accommodated at ’15′ – would be a disproportionate response and misleading. It would also not be supported by our public consultations which have indicated that infrequent very strong language would be acceptable in a ’15′ work within certain contexts. Our Consumer Advice will always flag the use of very strong language in ‘15’ rated works.

The Video Recordings Act (VRA) defines the supply of DVDs as ‘supply in any manner, whether or not for reward, and therefore, includes supply by way of sale, letting on hire, exchange or loan’ [Section 1(4)]. It is therefore clear that hiring out video works in a library is covered by the Act. There is no concession to ‘educational’ communities such as schools.

Under the Video Recordings Act 1984, it is an offence to offer to supply unclassified material on video or DVD.

If you strongly suspect that a DVD has not been classified, and also would not be eligible for exemption from classification, you should bring the matter to the attention of your local trading standards office or to the Regulatory Services Unit of Local Government Group. Their address is Local Government House, Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ.

Trading standards officers have the authority to investigate breaches of the criminal law, and take such remedial action as deemed appropriate. The BBFC does not have any powers of enforcement.

‘PG’ rated DVDs may be supplied to customers of any age. The ‘PG’ rating is a warning to parents and supervising guardians that some scenes in the work may be unsuitable for young children and that they should consider whether the content may upset younger or more sensitive children. While there is no age restriction in law, some retailers may operate their own internal policies regarding the selling of certain products to very young children.

The BBFC’s classification decisions are made in line with published classification Guidelines (LINK). These Guidelines are a product of both experience and an extensive public consultation process which is repeated regularly. It will be inevitable that public attitudes and values will change over time. In order to be relevant and useful, our Guidelines will try to reflect these shifts of opinion. However, it will not always follow that these changes signal a decline in classification standards. Our last public consultation (2009) revealed that the public had a heightened sensitivity to issues of racism, drug misuse, knife crime and suicide, especially in works aimed at younger audiences. We introduced a new key classification issue of  ‘discrimination’ which addresses potentially offensive content, relating to such matters as race, gender, religion, disability or sexuality as a result of significant public concern. Public attitudes towards the portrayal of sexual violence remain constant and the BBFC has always applied a strict policy when classifying scenes of rape and sexual assault. New concerns will also emerge, and old ones will become less significant.  Our classification guidelines and policies will always try to reflect these changing concerns.

If a film has been classified ’15′ or ‘18’, it indicates that no one younger than 15 or 18 years may see it in a cinema, even if they are accompanied by an adult (ie a person aged 18 years and over) or has obtained parental permission to do so. This includes the admittance of babies or very young children.

By allowing an underage child to view a ’15′ or ’18′ rated film, the cinema has failed in its duty to maintain this age restriction, and will be in breach of the conditions of its license. Cinema licenses are issued by the local authority under the Licensing Act 2003. A cinema risks a fine or losing its license altogether if it is caught in violation of its license requirements.

The BBFC’s position is that we would not recommend taking very young children to anything higher that a ‘PG’ rated film.

Strictly speaking, UK law does not apply once a plane or ferry is outside the UK so we cannot see how BBFC classifications can be enforced for onboard entertainment.  Arrangements regarding the showing of films on flights or ferries will differ from company to company. Some UK based companies will use the BBFC’s classification categories while others edit the films ‘in-house’ for suitability for family audiences and have parental controls and warnings about film content as part of their entertainment package. Travel operators based in other countries may use their own countries’ standards, and these can vary enormously from country to country.

The issue of age-restricted product advertising eg alcohol, or service is not straightforward, and many such products are advertised to the general public via a variety of different media, including on TV, in newspapers and magazines and on billboards. Our Classification Guidelines allow alcohol adverts to be classified at any category provided there are no elements in the advert which would preclude a particular rating, for example, ‘bad’ language, violence, or overt attempts to associate alcohol with sexual prowess or a glamorous / successful lifestyle. A film ad can be shown alongside a feature film as long as it has not been classified higher than the category given to that feature.

Sometimes, the ‘sell’ of an advertisement is oblique enough not to be understood or to appeal to children or young teenagers. It should also be borne in mind that audiences for films rated lower than ‘18’ will contain adult viewers to whom the advertised product may be of interest and who may be able legally and appropriately to purchase them. This will also apply to other age restricted or appropriate products such as shaving items and cars. In addition to BBFC Guidelines, film advertisements are also obliged to comply with the relevant advertising code. This requires that ads for alcohol are not shown with a film which is likely to have an audience of which more than 25% is under the age of 18 years.

The BBFC is not responsible for the exhibition of cinema trailers and advertisements.