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BBFC, Prime Video new self-rating partnership

September 18, 2024

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has announced a new self-rating agreement with Prime Video, building on the existing relationship between the two organisations, which dates back to 2015.

This new agreement will allow Prime Video to produce recognised BBFC age ratings internally, making it easier for Prime Video customers to choose the right content for themselves and their families. The BBFC’s classification standards are based on extensive research with audiences, most recently involving 12,000 people, to ensure that they accurately reflect UK expectations of what is appropriate for children to see in media content.

The BBFC will work closely with Prime Video and its catalogue of content to embed these standards within the company’s internal compliance process. Following the successful completion of a 12-month pilot, Prime Video will be able to generate BBFC age ratings in-house – initially for its Amazon Originals and Exclusives. The BBFC will regularly audit Prime Video classification decisions to ensure the self-rating process delivers accuracy on an ongoing basis.

Looking to the future, the partnership’s ultimate aim is to achieve widespread coverage of BBFC age ratings across the majority of Prime Video’s SVoD and TVoD content offerings.

Research published by the BBFC earlier this year revealed that eight in ten (81 per cent) people want a consistent age rating system across cinema, physical media, and Video on Demand and streaming services. The research also showed that the BBFC and its iconic age rating symbols remain highly trusted, recognised and valued by audiences across the UK. 90 per cent of parents/caregivers, 91per cent of teachers, and 88 per cent of teens aged 16-19 say that they trust BBFC age ratings all or most of the time.

David Austin OBE, Chief Executive, BBFC said: “Our latest Classification Guidelines research shows that trust in the BBFC is at an all-time high. People told us just how much they value seeing our age ratings wherever and however they decide to watch content. Which is why we’re delighted to take this significant next step in our relationship with Prime Video, making it even easier for audiences to make informed choices about the content they watch on Prime. This partnership is a fantastic example of best practice, which we hope to replicate with other streaming services operating in the UK to help and empower families, in line with the clearly expressed preference for consistency.”

Chris Bird, UK Managing Director, Prime Video, added: “We have worked with the BBFC for years at Prime Video UK to ensure that our customers have the information they need to choose what to watch with confidence. We are delighted to be extending our partnership with a view to achieving even greater coverage of the BBFC’s age ratings, which we know are understood and trusted by the vast majority of UK audiences. This important work enables us to give our customers the best possible user experience.”

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