CBBFC News

New information added to CBBFC New Releases

As part of Safer Internet Day 2016, we have made a short video to promote our new information about film releases to help families make informed viewing decisions together. The new information is a child-friendly version of the long BBFCinsight which we write for all films released in the UK. Up until now it has been published on the main BBFC website, and is also available on the free BBFC app.

We will also be launching a new CBBFC competition this month, asking you to tell us what information they would like to see in long BBFCinsight on CBBFC.

The theme of Safer Internet Day 2016 is ‘Play your part for a better internet’. We are encouraging children and their parents to check child-friendly long BBFCinsight on CBBFC for films they want to watch online, for example on Video-on-Demand services.

Films available online via Video-on-Demand services do not need an age rating by law. However, many Video-on-Demand platforms choose to use the BBFC age ratingss and information as it is well-known and trusted. Research carried out in 2015 also shows many parents (around 80%) like to check what rating a film has online.

Long BBFCinsight on CBBFC lets you know why a film received a particular classification and gives you extra information about scary or sad scenes, or other issues you might want to know about before watching the film. Long BBFCinsight on CBBFC is available for films with appeal to children classified U, PG and 12A at the cinema, or 12 on DVD/Blu-ray or online.

Lucy Brett, the BBFC Head of Education said: “Through our education work we speak to thousands of children and young people each year and it is clear that many of them watch films and videos online regularly. We want to help them make the most informed decision they can about their viewing which is why we are offering younger viewers more information about the films they want to watch, and tailoring BBFCinsight, which is written for adults, for younger learners who use our children's website, CBBFC.

“We also want children to tell us what they want and need to know and a new competition will allow children to tell us what sort of information they find most useful in BBFCinsight. The competition will challenge young film fans to write their own long BBFCinsight for favourite films viewed at home, in the cinema or online, letting us know how we can keep our BBFCinsight smart, short, relevant and up to date for younger viewers.”

Children and their families can see how to check long BBFCinsight in a new short video below which also reminds families to use legal websites to watch films online, and children to check with an adult before they use a new Video-on-Demand service.