Amazon Prime Video will move towards age ratings in line with British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) guidelines after a new agreement.
The BBFC said it will support the streaming giant to adapt the ratings on its content for UK customers to help provide families with the information they need to make safe viewing decisions.
As part of the agreement, the organisation will also offer insight into the standards it applies when classifying film, video and TV content.
The BBFC’s classifications are based on guidelines created after research and consultation with more than 10,000 people across the UK, including young people, child psychologists and charities.
The guidelines are updated every four to five years, with the next review scheduled for this year, with any changes required by the research coming into force in early 2024.
The new agreement comes after BBFC research, conducted by We Are Family, found the majority of parents of children and young people as well as teenagers wanted consistency with age ratings across all services.
The organisation said 90% of parents and/or caregivers of four to 15-year-olds and 80% of teenagers aged 16-19 considered age ratings and content advice to be of equal importance on streaming services as they are for films in the cinema.
I’m sure a lot of parents will be reassured that a leading streaming service such as Prime Video is taking this positive next step to give them the information they need— Natasha Kaplinsky, president of the BBFC
Natasha Kaplinsky, president of the BBFC, said: “We are thrilled to announce our strengthened relationship with Prime Video in the UK, which will help to increase the coverage of our BBFC age ratings on the service.
“This news follows our recent research showing considerable demand for the consistent application of trusted BBFC age ratings and content advice on streaming services.
“I’m sure a lot of parents will be reassured that a leading streaming service such as Prime Video is taking this positive next step to give them the information they need to make safe and informed viewing decisions for their families. We are very much looking forward to this enhanced working relationship with Prime Video.”
Chris Bird, managing director of Prime Video UK, said: “At Prime Video, we start with our customers and work backwards.
“BBFC ratings are recognised and trusted across the UK, and we are delighted to be deepening our long-standing relationship with the BBFC to ensure our UK customers can continue to make the right viewing decisions for their families.”
Creative industries minister Julia Lopez said: “I am delighted to see this partnership between Prime Video and BBFC.
“The BBFC’s well-recognised age ratings and content advice continue to be of huge value to audiences, helping parents and families across the UK make informed decisions about the content they watch.”
