Today
sees the launch of a pilot scheme to introduce film-style age ratings for music
videos to help protect children from unsuitable content. This has come in response to huge public
concern that what has become mainstream in music videos in recent years is now
barely inches away from pornography.
sees the launch of a pilot scheme to introduce film-style age ratings for music
videos to help protect children from unsuitable content. This has come in response to huge public
concern that what has become mainstream in music videos in recent years is now
barely inches away from pornography.
Recent
videos from Britney Spears, Rhianna and Miley Cyrus have included nudity,
highly sexualised dancing and imagery and visual references to
prostitution. What is particularly
disturbing about this is that the fan base of all these performers is so
young. Watching them, one could be
forgiven for thinking that these videos have been produced to appeal to an
adult male audience but, in reality, they are far more likely to be viewed by
school children.
videos from Britney Spears, Rhianna and Miley Cyrus have included nudity,
highly sexualised dancing and imagery and visual references to
prostitution. What is particularly
disturbing about this is that the fan base of all these performers is so
young. Watching them, one could be
forgiven for thinking that these videos have been produced to appeal to an
adult male audience but, in reality, they are far more likely to be viewed by
school children.
Parents
who responded to the government’s Bailey Review in 2011 cited music videos as a
major concern. The report subsequently
recommended that age restrictions should be applied to music videos to prevent
children buying sexually explicit videos and guide broadcasters over when to
show them. Ministers called on the
industry to develop solutions so that more online videos, particularly those
that are likely to be sought out by children and young people, carry advice
about their age suitability in future.
This new scheme is a response to that call.
who responded to the government’s Bailey Review in 2011 cited music videos as a
major concern. The report subsequently
recommended that age restrictions should be applied to music videos to prevent
children buying sexually explicit videos and guide broadcasters over when to
show them. Ministers called on the
industry to develop solutions so that more online videos, particularly those
that are likely to be sought out by children and young people, carry advice
about their age suitability in future.
This new scheme is a response to that call.
The new
measures will see websites YouTube and Vevo and three of the UK's top music
labels - Warner, Universal and Sony – working with the BBFC to apply age
ratings to videos before they are made available online.
measures will see websites YouTube and Vevo and three of the UK's top music
labels - Warner, Universal and Sony – working with the BBFC to apply age
ratings to videos before they are made available online.
Presently
this classification will be limited to the UK, so it will not apply to some of
the most explicit videos by the likes of US stars Miley Cyrus and Jennifer
Lopez but the Chief Executive of the music industry body,
the BPI, is hopeful that "other countries might see we're taking a lead,
and if it works they might follow suit."
this classification will be limited to the UK, so it will not apply to some of
the most explicit videos by the likes of US stars Miley Cyrus and Jennifer
Lopez but the Chief Executive of the music industry body,
the BPI, is hopeful that "other countries might see we're taking a lead,
and if it works they might follow suit."
This is
a welcome move and we will be watching with interest to see how it works in
action. However, the scheme is a
voluntary one but for maximum impact it needs to be mandatory across the
industry. It will not be the ‘silver
bullet’ which guarantees protection to children watching music online but it
does offer parents another useful tool to help them safeguard their children
and it is an important first step in establishing very clear boundaries on
acceptable standards in videos.
a welcome move and we will be watching with interest to see how it works in
action. However, the scheme is a
voluntary one but for maximum impact it needs to be mandatory across the
industry. It will not be the ‘silver
bullet’ which guarantees protection to children watching music online but it
does offer parents another useful tool to help them safeguard their children
and it is an important first step in establishing very clear boundaries on
acceptable standards in videos.
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