We, at Childnet, support the move announced today by the government to introduce age rating to online UK music videos.
Following a successful pilot programme in October, the BBFC is now working with video-sharing websites Vevo and YouTube to implement a grading system, much the same as classifications for movies that will indicate how old someone should be to watch a music video.
The new measures will apply to videos that are deemed unsuitable for children and are produced in the UK by artists who are represented by major labels.
At Childnet, we feel it’s encouraging to see UK music labels and digital platforms stepping forward to help protect children from inappropriate music videos online.
As Childnet Deputy CEO, Hannah Broadbent, said in an article published in The Guardian today:
“Age ratings can help parents make informed choices online, and it’s particularly important that digital services offer parental control tools that work alongside these age ratings,” she said. “While this is an important first step, there is a need to extend this more widely to content from outside the UK and to ensure that families are making the most of the tools available.
“Technical tools are a real help for parents, but we also need to have ongoing conversations with young people to ensure that are able to process, critique and cope with the sometimes upsetting or confusing things they see online.”
Childnet were also asked to talk about the announcement on This Morning, Sky News, BBC Radio Scotland, Channel 5 News and BBC News. You can catch-up on the interviews here: