The British Board of Film Classification, Britain’s independent regulator of the film and video industry, is suggesting an elective certification program that would warn Internet users about graphic sex, violence, and foul language. The program would be similar to the BBFC’s already existing film category ratings of U, PG, 12A, 15, and 18. The BBFC has suggested it could be the first to provide classifications for online content.
An annual report from the boards reads, “We regularly see and deal with material, whether so-called ‘extreme reality’, abusive pornography, or simply content which is unsuitable for the age group to whom it is addressed, where our intervention is clearly necessary. No one should assume that such material will be confined to established platforms such as film and DVD. Whether in a regulatory or an advisory capacity, we believe we have unique expertise and experience to offer.”
The British government has been invited by the board to join the debate.
The idea of Net censorship has been an active one in the recent months, with most free speech advocates heavily opposing.
In a statement to The London Times, Simon Davies of Privacy International, said. “It sounds like the most stupid intervention since the registration of fax machines and photocopiers in communist China.” Privacy International (PI) is an independent, non-government organization that campaigns for freedom of expression.
Since its inception in 1912, The BBFC has classified cinema films, and in 1984 it began classifying videos following the ratification of the Video Recordings Act.
