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INDUSTRY UK

British children disturbed by pirated content

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- BBFC and The Industry Trust for IP Awareness commissioned research reveals the download habits of teenagers

One in five British children and teens admit that they have been disturbed by movies they have watched via pirate websites and two thirds say they wish they had checked the film’s official rating first. These are some of the findings of new research commissioned by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and The Industry Trust for IP Awareness, where an online survey asked 1000 UK 11-15-year-olds about their online viewing habits. Almost half of those surveyed said they were aware of rules in place at home designed to restrict what they can and can’t look at on the internet, but nevertheless 25% of respondents admitted to downloading or streaming movies from unofficial sources, which offer no guidance on age ratings.

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Furthermore, a third of younger children aged 11-12 admitted to having recently downloaded or streamed a film rated 15 from a pirate website; one in five 11-15 year olds said they use pirate websites to keep up with what their friends and older siblings are watching; and more than a quarter of 11-15 year olds say their parents don’t know what films they are watching online, and a third wouldn’t feel comfortable with younger siblings copying their viewing habits.

Lucy Brett, Head of Education for the BBFC, said, “Parents can use FindAnyFilm.com or the BBFC website and free BBFC App for smartphones for information about a film before they download or stream them. Having this information available all in one place and talking to your children about how films are rated can help them stay safe and legal online this summer.”

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