Nearly all UK parents find age ratings on Netflix helpful when choosing content for their children, a new survey reveals. The findings coincide with the five-year anniversary of the streaming platform's partnership with the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), which classifies all content in Netflix's UK catalogue.
The survey of 2,000 UK parents found that 96 per cent consider the age ratings helpful. Additionally, 77 per cent said they feel more confident in their viewing choices because of the BBFC partnership, which was launched in 2020 and has been extended until 2028.
BBFC chief executive David Austin said: «I am proud to celebrate five years of all films and TV series on Netflix carrying BBFC age ratings and content advice. As viewing habits continue to evolve, our commitment to protecting and empowering audiences has never been more important. Collaboration and shared responsibility are at the heart of everything we do, ensuring clarity and consistency for families across the UK through age ratings and content advice so they can make informed viewing choices about what's right for them.»
Partnership Benefits
Benjamin King, Netflix's senior director of global affairs UK, emphasized the partnership's role in building parental confidence. «At Netflix, we want families to feel fully confident in the choices they make about what to watch and our partnership with the BBFC plays a vital role in ensuring that peace of mind», he said. «By applying their well-established ratings across our entire UK catalogue, we equip parents with clear and consistent advice about age-appropriate content.»
King added: «We're delighted to mark five years of this pioneering approach for streaming and to continue our work with the BBFC to support safe and informed viewing.»
Call for Industry Standards
Ella Bradshaw, policy officer for child safety online at the NSPCC, highlighted the partnership as a model for the wider streaming industry. «The BBFC's partnership with Netflix demonstrates how clear, independent age ratings and content advice can give families and young people confidence and help them make informed viewing choices», she said.
Bradshaw called for broader adoption of such measures: «As children spend more time online, it's vital that all platforms adopt consistent, transparent approaches to age ratings and safety measures, with child protection at their core.»
The BBFC refreshes its classification guidelines every four to five years through public consultation. The most recent consultation in 2023 drew roughly 12,000 participants.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
