How classification works in
television:
U
·
Discrimination-
Discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely to be acceptable unless
clearly disapproved of.
·
Drugs-
References to illegal drugs or drug misuse must be infrequent and innocuous, or
have a clear educational purpose or anti-drug message suitable for young
children.
·
Imitable behaviour- Potentially dangerous
or anti-social behaviour which young children may copy must be clearly
disapproved of. No emphasis on realistic or easily accessible weapons.
·
Language-
Infrequent use only of very mild bad language.
·
Nudity-
Occasional nudity, with no sexual context.
·
Sex- Only
very mild sexual behaviour (for example, kissing) and references to such
behaviour.
·
Threat-
Scary or potentially unsettling sequences should be mild, brief and unlikely to
cause undue anxiety to young children. The outcome should be reassuring.
Violence
·
Violence- will generally be very mild. Mild violence
may be acceptable if it is justified by context (for example, comedic,
animated, wholly unrealistic).
PG
·
Discrimination-
Discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely to be acceptable unless
clearly disapproved of, or in an educational or historical context, or in a
particularly dated work with no likely appeal to children. Discrimination by a
character with whom children can readily identify is unlikely to be acceptable.
·
Drugs- References
to illegal drugs or drug misuse must be innocuous or carry a suitable anti-drug
message.
·
Imitable
behaviour- No detail of potentially dangerous behaviour which young children are likely to copy, if
that behaviour is presented as safe
or fun. No glamorisation of realistic or
easily accessible weapons such as knives. No focus on anti-social behaviour which young children are likely to copy.
·
Language-
Mild bad language only. Aggressive or very frequent use of mild bad
language may result in a work being passed at a higher category.
·
Nudity- There
may be nudity with no sexual context.
·
Sex- Sexual
activity may be implied, but should be discreet and infrequent. Mild sex references and innuendo only.
·
Threat-Frightening
sequences or situations where characters
are in danger should not be prolonged or intense. Fantasy settings may be a
mitigating factor.
·
Violence-Violence
will usually be mild. However there may be
moderate violence, without detail, if justified by its context (for example, history, comedy or fantasy).
12a & 12
·
Discrimination-
Discriminatory language or behaviour must not be endorsed by the work as a
whole. Aggressive discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely to be
acceptable unless clearly condemned.
·
Drugs-
Misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should not be glamorised or give
instructional detail. Imitable behaviour No promotion of potentially dangerous
behaviour which children are likely to copy. No glamorisation of realistic or
easily accessible weapons such as knives. No endorsement of anti-social
behaviour.
·
Language-
There may be moderate language. Strong language may be permitted, depending on
the manner in which it is used, who is using the language, its frequency within
the work as a whole and any special contextual justification.
·
Nudity-
There may be nudity, but in a sexual context it must be brief and discreet.
·
Sex-
Sexual activity may be briefly and discreetly portrayed. Moderate sex
references are permitted, but frequent crude references are unlikely to be
acceptable.
·
Threat-
There may be moderate physical and psychological threat and horror sequences.
Although some scenes may be disturbing, the overall tone should not be. Horror
sequences should not be frequent or sustained.
·
Violence-
There may be moderate violence but it should not dwell on detail. There should
be no emphasis on injuries or blood, but occasional gory moments may be
permitted if justified by the context. Sexual violence may only be implied or
briefly and discreetly indicated, and its depiction must be justified by
context.
15
·
Discrimination-
The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour,
although there may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory themes and
language.
·
Drugs-
Drug taking may be shown but the work as a whole must not promote or encourage
drug misuse (for example, through instructional detail). The misuse of easily
accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example, aerosols or solvents)
is unlikely to be acceptable.
·
Imitable
behaviour- Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and
self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied. Whether the
depiction of easily accessible weapons is acceptable will depend on factors
such as realism, context and setting.
·
Language-
There may be strong language. Very strong language may be permitted,
depending on the manner in which it is used, who is using the language, its
frequency within the work as a whole and any special contextual justification.
·
Nudity-
There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.
There may be nudity in a sexual context but usually without strong detail.
·
Sex- Sexual
activity may be portrayed, but usually without strong detail. There may be
strong verbal references to sexual behaviour, but the strongest references are
unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context. Works whose primary
purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable.
·
Threat- There
may be strong threat and horror. A sustained focus on sadistic or sexual threat
is unlikely to be acceptable.
·
Violence-
Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or
injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong
sadistic violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed
verbal references to sexual violence but the depiction of sexual violence must
be discreet and justified by context.
18
where the material is in breach of
the criminal law, or has been created through the commission of a criminal
offence where material or treatment
appears to us to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to
society. For example, the detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or
of illegal drug use, which may cause harm to public health or morals. This may
include portrayals of sadistic or sexual violence which make this violence look
appealing; reinforce the suggestion that victims enjoy sexual violence; or
which invite viewer complicity in sexual violence or other harmful violent
activities • where there are more explicit images of sexual activity in the
context of a sex work (see below) or where the primary purpose of the images in
question is sexual arousal In the case of video works, which may be more
accessible to younger viewers, intervention may be more frequent than for
cinema films.
·
Sex
education at 18 Where sex material genuinely seeks to inform and educate in
matters such as human sexuality or safer sex and health, explicit images of
sexual activity may be permitted.
·
Sex works
at 18 Sex works are works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or
stimulation. Sex works containing only material which may be simulated are
generally passed 18. Sex works containing clear images of real sex, strong
fetish material, sexually explicit animated images, or other very strong sexual
images will be confined to the R18 category. Material which is unacceptable in
a sex work at R18 is also unacceptable in a sex work at 18.
R18
The following content is not
acceptable:
• material which is in breach of the criminal
law, including material judged to be obscene under the current interpretation
of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 (see Annexe)
• material (including dialogue) likely to
encourage an interest in sexually abusive activity which may include adults
role-playing as non-adults
• the portrayal of sexual activity
which involves real or apparent lack of consent. Any form of physical restraint
which prevents participants from indicating a withdrawal of consent
• the infliction of pain or acts
which may cause lasting physical harm, whether real or (in a sexual context)
simulated. Some allowance may be made for moderate, non-abusive, consensual
activity
• penetration by any object
associated with violence or likely to cause physical harm
• sexual threats, humiliation or abuse
which do not form part of a clearly consenting role-playing game. Strong
physical or verbal abuse, even if consensual, is unlikely to be acceptable
These Guidelines will be applied to
the same standard regardless of sexual orientation of the activity portrayed
