British Board Of Film Classification Publishes Racism Survey Findings

Tom Grater
·1 min read

The British Board Of Film Classification (BBFC), which certifies film and TV content for the UK, has unveiled the results of a survey it commissioned into racism and discrimination on screen and how such scenes should impact classification.

Key findings include that the majority of people do not think that older films and TV shows necessarily need higher age ratings if they contain outdated behaviour or language, but they do want to be warned about potentially offensive words or portrayals.

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Respondents suggested that content containing use of the ‘n-word’ should not be classified lower than 12A/12 (for people of that age and above), unless they have strong educational value.

In general, documentaries that educate viewers on difficult topics should be given lower age ratings, the survey concluded.

However, content that includes aggressive or violent depictions of discrimination, or the likelihood of children copying any form of racism, including racist language, should on the whole be given higher age ratings.

In total, 70 participants took part in online research sessions, while 20 respondents were asked to participate in interviews to dig deeper into specific issues.

You can read the full report here.

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