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| A family watching a film Photo: August de Richelieu from Pexels |
The last three decades have seen the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) gradually relax its guidelines on what it's appropriate for children to be watching at different ages, but today it altered that approach, taking a tougher stance on some issues in response to recent research findings. In particular, it noted increased public concern about sexual violence, suicide and self harm. New films containing such content may be given higher age classifications or asked to make cuts.
A more cautious approach will also be taken to longer or more explicit sex scenes, though the research found that the public was more relaxed about sexual references where they appeared in the context of comedy. Parents were concerned about certain words with sexual connotations which their children might hear in films and then repeat, so language of this sort may now also lead to a higher age rating.
By contrast with this, cannabis use is no longer a big worry for most parents as long as it is only occasional and not presented as glamorous, so it will not longer automatically lead to higher ratings.
"At the BBFC, we're dedicated to ensuring what we do is responsive to the ever-evolving world around us," said the organisation's president, Natasha Kaplinsky. "Since we last asked people across the country what they thought about our standards, society has changed, and opinions have followed."
The new guidelines will come into effect from 1 May and will last for four to five years before undergoing further revision. They will apply to films in the cinema, on DVD or Blu-ray, and on Netflix.
