As things stand, most sport, documentary and music videos can claim an exemption from classification. "The great
majority of exempt video works are fine," said the BBFC's head of
policy, David Austin. "They are not going to harm anyone, but there are a
significant number of titles that are potentially harmful to children.
"We
know from our postbag that parents are concerned about exempt videos.
Usually they write and say, 'Why did you give this video an E
classification?' The answer is we didn't as it never came to us – it
would not have gone to anyone."
The BBFC estimates that around 200 videos might be caught by a change in the law.
Austin
showed the Guardian examples of videos that have claimed exemption but
would have been classified. They range in seriousness. One of the more
shocking is a documentary about the American heavy metal band Slipknot
"which, actually my son bought when he was 10 and I confiscated," said
Austin. "He's waiting till he's older to get it back."
It shows
one fan who has carved the word Slipknot in to her forearm and another
who has done the same in her belly, to which someone is seen pointing in
admiration.
A music video by the Norwegian black metal band
Gorgoroth, which was rated X in Germany but is unrated in the UK, shows
topless women being crucified with blood running down their breasts.
A
Robbie Williams video for the song Come Undone, contained on an exempt
compilation. In and Out of Consciousness shows drug taking and Williams
cavorting in bed with two naked women.
Videos that can say they
are educational or instructional can also claim exemption. That means
that one easy-to-purchase close-combat video is exempt even though the
Belgian instructor is showing the best way to kill someone with a knife.
Austin
said parents also complained about DVDs that are not so clear-cut – a
Pussycat Dolls workout DVD for example, which includes one burlesque
routine that would unquestionably make some parents feel uncomfortable.
The
workout moves include feather boas being passed between the legs,
followed by a roll of the head and a "bite, push, step, slap" move in
which the girls bite their finger, step forward, push out their backside
and slap it.
The trainer encourages them: "Really flirty!" In the
next scene dancers in stilettos perform the same moves and viewers are
encouraged to take some clothes off.
All the signs are that the
government will change a law that was made in 1984, when no one could
have foreseen a problem with music or instructional videos. The BBFC,
together with other regulatory bodies, is calling for exceptions to the
exemptions that would cover material that is violent, sexual,
discriminatory, has repeated strong language or contains imitable
behaviour such as drug use.
"It is completely common sense," said
Austin. "We're talking about videos quite legally being sold on the high
street, often to children. Some companies do submit them on a voluntary
basis, which makes it even more confusing for parents who see on the
shelf 18 and 15 ratings and see ones with an E symbol. They then ask:
"Why do you think this is so much milder?"
A DCMS spokesperson
said: "DCMS launched a consultation in May on the exemptions from age
rating that currently apply to music, sports, religious and educational
videos. The consultation closes on 1 August and government will publish
its response in the autumn."
Article on sexually explicit music videos before the 9pm watershed
Article on sexually explicit music videos before the 9pm watershed
- A performance by Rihanna on The X Factor in December 2011 attracted 4,500 complaints to Ofcom.
- I Like the Way She Do It (sexually explicit language)
- If I Can't (strong language)
- PIMP 50 Cent (offensive images of women)
- What's My Name Rihanna (body thrusting, striptease)
- Express Christina Aguilera (burlesque)
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