28/02/2013 - Members of the public being asked for their views

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is publishing an online survey as part of its review of the Film Classification Guidelines. The review is to ensure that classification standards are in line with what the British public expects and that its decisions take account of what the public finds acceptable at each age category. The survey is part of the large-scale public consultation that the BBFC does every few years.

From March 1, members of the public will be able to take the survey on the BBFC website and record their views on the age ratings of recent cinema and DVD releases. The survey will also record data on how often respondents visit the cinema, watch films online and whether they usually watch films with a particular age rating.

David Austin, Assistant Director of the BBFC says, “The online survey is an important part of the Classification Guidelines review process. We’re keen to hear from adults and young people about whether they agree with BBFC age ratings for recent films and DVDs and how frequently they watch films both at the cinema and at home.”

The results of the online survey will be processed alongside the results of nationwide focus groups, telephone interviews and specialist research, giving the BBFC the views of around 10,000 Britons. The updated BBFC Classification Guidelines will be published at the end of 2013. The previous review was in 2009.