New measures have been introduced to make sure children are not exposed to inappropriate content
Last year the British Phonographic Industry and the British Board of Film Classification worked with Youtube and Vevo on a new government scheme to begin classification of all music videos online. The ratings will be similar to those currently seen on feature films. As of today the new scheme will become a permanent fixture on all music videos featured online across Youtube, Vevo and similar websites.
The scheme originally entered a trial in October 2014 after concerns about sexual content in videos like Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball and Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines. So far 132 videos have been passed on to the BBFC by record labels, 56 have been give a 12 rating and 53 classified as 15. The only one to have been rated 18 is Dizzee Rascal’s Couple of Stacks, in which the Dizzee is seen going on a particularly blood-splattered, grizzly killing spree.
Lady Joanna Shields, minister for internet safety, described the scheme as a “Voluntary step for the music industry” and stated “Keeping children safe as they experience and enjoy all the benefits the internet has to offer is a key priority for this government’s one-nation approach to help families across Britain. We will continue to work with industry to develop ways to help parents to better protect children online from inappropriate music videos with explicit adult or violent content.”
The government initiative will only apply to videos that have been deemed inappropriate for children and have been produced by artists in the UK by major labels. The labels will have to submit the videos to the BBFC who will then make a decision on the rating.
Youtube and Vevo have both said that they will be developing technology to compliment and work with the new system to help make their sites as secure and safe for children as possible. Youtube say that the new system will work well with their current restricted service.
(Via: The Guardian)