Film Classification Guidelines

 Sourced from: http://bbfc.co.uk/what-classification/guidelines

Our guiding principles are:

• to protect children and vulnerable adults from potentially harmful or otherwise unsuitable media content

• to empower consumers, particularly parents and those with responsibility for children, to make informed viewing decisions

We fulfil these roles by providing age classifications and publishing advice (known as BBFCinsight) for individual films and videos. We do this without infringing the right of adults to choose what they view provided that it remains within the law and is not potentially harmful. We seek to ensure that films and videos reach the widest audience that is appropriate for their theme and treatment. Media effects research and expert opinion on issues of suitability and harm can be inconclusive or contradictory. In such cases we must rely on our own experience and expertise to make a judgement as to the suitability of a work for classification at a particular age category, taking into consideration whether the availability of the material, to the age group concerned, is clearly unacceptable to broad public opinion. Our extensive research into public opinion guides us as we seek to ensure that classification decisions generally reflect public sensibilities and expectations as these change over time. 

In relation to harm, we will consider whether the material, either on its own, or in combination with other content of a similar nature, may cause any harm at the category concerned. This includes not just any harm that may result from the behaviour of potential viewers, but also any moral harm that may be caused by, for example, desensitising a potential viewer to the effects of violence, degrading a potential viewer’s sense of empathy, encouraging a dehumanised view of others, suppressing pro-social attitudes, encouraging anti-social attitudes, reinforcing unhealthy fantasies, or eroding a sense of moral responsibility. Especially with regard to children, harm may also include retarding social and moral development, distorting a viewer’s sense of right and wrong, and limiting their capacity for compassion. We will not classify material which is in conflict with the criminal law, or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence. We act as a regulator across the United Kingdom. However, the United Kingdom does not have a single legal system, and so we take account of the different legal systems that coexist in the UK. Further details about the applicable legislation can be found in the Annexe