The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has announced that Netflix has become the first streaming service in the UK to add BBFC-approved age ratings to all its movie and TV content. Netflix also took this opportunity to give parents additional control features that leverage BBFC data.
Commenting on the news, Chief Executive of the BBFC David Austin said:
“With people spending increasing amounts of time online, it’s more important than ever for families to have clear, consistent advice on content so they can choose well. This innovative partnership with one of the biggest services in the UK has allowed us to do just that - and we’re delighted that Netflix’s entire UK catalogue now carries BBFC age ratings, which people know and trust. No matter what families choose to watch, they can watch with confidence.”
BBFC ratings are fairly similar to those you’d find in other countries, they include U – Suitable for all, PG – Parental Guidance, 12 – Suitable for 12 years and over, 15 – Suitable only for 15 years and over, and 18 – Suitable for adults only. According to research carried out by BBFC, 88% of parents find BBFC age ratings useful when trying to figure out what’s suitable for their child.
Netflix has also added new parental controls, these include: pin protecting individual profiles to stop kids accessing them, tailoring content to filter age-inappropriate content, individual series and films can be removed by title, parents can see what their kids have been watching on their profile, and auto-play can be turned off in children’s profiles.
BBFC’s David Austin has now called on other streaming platforms in the country to follow Netflix’s lead and introduce age ratings on all their content to help parents decipher which content is suitable.
