Do you want to know how the BBFC decide age ratings, and what's right for your children to view? Ask their expert - £300 voucher to be won

[EllieMumsnet]

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has been responsible for age ratings for cinema for over a hundred years. Their classification symbols U, PG, 12A, 12, 15, 18 are well known to parents and children, and are used on DVD and Blu-ray, and increasingly on video on demand platforms like Netflix. Their decisions are based on a large scale public consultation, which takes place every four-five years and reflects changes in public mood. This month, the new Classification Guidelines - which sets out what is acceptable at each age category - are going live. Findings include heightened concern from parents and teachers around online content and a clear desire for more consistency, when it comes to age ratings and information, across all platforms. If you would like to find out more about the new guidelines please click here.

So, the BBFC’s Head of Education, Lucy Brett, is here to answer any of your questions.

Here’s what BBFC have to say: “Over the last five years the way we consume film and video has changed beyond all recognition. That's why it's so important that there is consistency between what people watch on and offline. Our research shows that both parents and teenagers want us to give them the information and guidance that they need to view what's right for them. We're here to listen to what people want, which is why they trust our age ratings.”

Here is a bit more information on Lucy Brett: “Lucy Brett is the BBFC’s Head of Education, and heads up the BBFC’s education programme. Ever year she speaks to thousands of children, teenagers and parents across every corner of the UK. Lucy hears directly about the concerns that young people have about films, how they would like classification to work and what the BBFC should be flagging and thinking about when making decisions. Lucy is also a mum of two, and her favourite film is True Grit”

Do you have a question for Lucy? Do you want to know what teachers think to age ratings? Do you have any questions about specific content that your child might have watched? Or maybe you have specific questions about what sort of content you might see in a 15?

Whatever your questions around the BBFC’s guidelines, post them below and we will choose 10 in total for Lucy to answer. Everyone who posts their questions will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

Do you think the ratings have got more stringent or more relaxed over by years? I was recently quite shocked when watching the original Jaws film with my kids as it’s a PG but pretty terrifying and gory in places!

I have another question. Whatever happened to the watershed? It used to be that anything before 9pm was suitable for families but now that's not the case at all. Soap operas are one example of this.

I agree, how do they decided what is a PG? I find it very variable too and have been rather suprised in some places. What are the specific criteria? It's a big jump to the next rating (12A I think). That also confused me.

Why do you think society doesn't question the use of sex and sexual violence in films/tv when it actually appears to only be there to titillate men?

Do you apply your classifications to YouTube content? It particularly annoys me when watching children's content on YouTube and inappropriate adverts about 18 rated video games or cancer start playing. I always supervise but even so you have to watch these adverts for so many seconds before you can skip.

My 7 year old views pretty much 90% of content on YouTube and I do wonder whether there should be some kind of classification there as it seems to be the primary source for a lot of children now. I do find the concept of mild peril quite amusing btw

What can you do to make parents more aware of the importance of adhering to the classifications? Currently it seems as though some children (and their parents) seem to regard allowing their children to view films that are the next rating up from what they should watch almost as a badge of honour. I would like this to change.

I always wonder why sexual activity is rated more harshly than violent behaviour. For instance, quite explicit violence is allowable for a film rated 12, but a loving and respectful sexual scene would be completely unacceptable. Could you explain why violent acts are seen as more appropriate for children to watch than loving sexual acts?

I truly believe there is a mental health crisis looming for the next generation and I am so worried for them. I'm frequently laughed at and mocked by numerous people for not allowing my 2 sons (12 & 8years) playing or watching films and games that are not their age. More needs to be done to educate parents of the harmful affects of allowing their children being exposed to graphic, realistic, violent and sexually explicit material. How on earth can a 3, 4, 5 year old allowed to play "fortnite" or even Minecraft grasp that these games are not real life, as too films. Would a parent allow a 10 year old to watch pornographic material? I would hope and very much doubt it. It's equally damaging for a child to be exposed to violence too. They are confused between reality and fiction. More needs to be done to protect our children and the manufacturers of games, dvds etc ultimately need to take responsibility I feel. Granted, all children grow up at different stages but at the end of the day we are their parents and need to take responsibility too. No two children are the same, which is exactly the reason something seriously needs to be done and fast. I ask Lucy Brett what exactly she thinks about this worrying situation and does she allow her own children to watch films if they're not yet old enough?

I'd echo the questions about ratings for games. It seems like games don't follow the same guidelines and that the ratings aren't taken as seriously by parents (or anyone really) - why do you think this is? And is there any way for the ratings to be streamlined with those given for films? Or are they set by different bodies and to different standards?

Do you think their is more violence in console video games than in films they watch ( Far to much killing) . This was one of my main concerns with my older son he loved the shooting games like the Turok etc. Do you think these games are very addictive and lead to aggressive behavior. I think the classifications should be higher for Video games.

I feel video games ratings are not taken seriously at all. Do you classify them? I'd love if there was a little infomercial of the the kind of content that makes a 12 or 15. Could you do this?

How do you get to be part of the consultation to decide on the ratings and what happens if no agreement is reached regarding the rating?

Why do cinemas often show trailers aged at 15+ or 18+ before a PG film?

I’m also a bit unsure about pg ratings, how do you differentiate between U and PG?

I would like to know how much work goes into the determination of the rating for each film or tv series? Is there just set criteria or would you use focus groups etc? Are films/tv shows made with a rating in mind making determining rating easier?

My dd(nearly 6) is really into Harry Potter and we are currently reading the books, we will let her watch first few films with supervision but wont let her watch anymore so its interesting there is s discrepancy. She is glad reading has no age limit!

Having taken my children last week to see 'The Kid Who Would Be King' I am really confused by it's rating as a PG. I get that there is no bad language in it, so that probably makes it more okay under the rating guidelines. But it really was quite dark & scary in parts - especially the scenes where Morgana was growing stronger in the underworld and later when her demon armies were fighting the children. My 12 year old said of his own accord when we emerged from the cinema that HE definitely thought it should have been a 12 - he has been to the cinema on his own with friends to watch 12 films and thought that this film was far more frightening. My 10 year old said it was a good job she knew it wasn't real as otherwise she might have been very scared. How exactly is a film graded as PG rather than 12 with such content?
Don't get me wrong, we thought it was a good film and very cleverly done - but it really wasn't what I was expecting from the trailer. I might not have taken them if I'd known exactly what we'd be seeing.

Does the BBFC publish material that parents can use with appropriate age children to explain why and how the ratings are decided?

What's is the difference between a PG movie and 12?

I'd like to echo the point that JanuarySun has raised, I too would like to know why swearing has a higher rating than violence.

Have the ratings changed over time?

Why does music not come with age guidelines?

Sometimes the ratings make no sense to me. Is swearing considered worse than violence and sex?

Is it possible to use the ratings across the board? Social media, YouTube, games, films, programmes etc? They also tell you what references a film contains but maybe also highlighting why it’s harmful for a child under the age to watch

I strongly feel that the ratings have been lowered since I was a teenager. I have seen two 12 rated films in recent years that my 12/ 13 year old dds would not cope with. One of them I complained about.
Why is there a tendency for violence to get passed when swearing won’t ? Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children was a 12, and far too violent for all but one of the 12 and 13 year olds I took to see it. Really gruesome and frightening. Lots of comments from parents and older teenagers afterwards saying the same. Yet Detectorists, so kind, gentle and human, has a 15 rating.