LONDON — Online music videos are set to get age ratings on YouTube and Vevo in the UK, following a government pilot.
Several record labels, including Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner Music, have said they’ll send any videos they think might only be acceptable for viewers aged 12 or over to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), the organisation responsible for rating films.
The ratings will only be applied to music videos produced in the UK.
Once they receive the videos, the BBFC will then view them in their entirety and assign an age rating and “bespoke content advice,” flagging any strong language, drug use, violence, sex references or sexualised nudity – based on their classification guidelines.
On YouTube there’ll be a “Partner Rating” label on the site while on Vevo the ratings symbol will appear for the first few seconds of the clip.
Find out more about #AgeRatings on #MusicVideos on our website http://t.co/A6T6X8aq5E @DCMS @bpi_music
— BBFC (@BBFC) August 18, 2015
132 videos have been submitted to the BBFC so far, with 56 rated 12 (appropriate for anyone aged 12 and over) and 53 given a 15 classification. Dizzee Rascal’s “Couple Of Stacks” was the only one given an 18 rating, thanks to its “strong bloody violence”, “gore” and “very strong language” (no mention was made of how tedious the track is).
Calvin Harris’ “Open Wide” bagged a 15 certificate for its “bloody violence” while Jessie Ware’s “Meet Me in the Middle” earned a similar rating for sexual content.
“Britain is a world leader in making exciting and original music, in part because our artists have a freedom to express themselves that we rightly cherish,” the British Phonographic Industry’s Geoff Taylor said.
“While we must continue to uphold this principle, it is equally important that music videos are broadcast in a responsible way and that parents are given the tools to make more informed viewing decisions on behalf of their families.”
The move has been greeted with widespread scepticism.
Critics have pointed out that the ratings aren’t mandatory, their appearance is discreet to the point of not being noticeable, international artists are excluded and there’s nothing to stop underage people watching them.
However, Hannah Broadbent from internet safety charity Childnet said the move was a step in the right direction. “Age ratings can help parents make informed choices online, and it’s particularly important that digital services offer parental control tools that work alongside these age ratings,” she said.
“While this is an important first step, there is a need to extend this more widely to content from outside the UK and to ensure that families are making the most of the tools available.”
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