Impact assessment

Post Implementation Review (PIR) Video Recordings

PIR amendments to The Video Recordings (Labelling Regulations) Act and The Video Recordings Act

From:
Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Published
12 March 2018

Documents

PIR Video Recordings Act Exemptions

PDF, 185 KB, 6 pages

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PIR Video Recordings Labelling

PDF, 130 KB, 6 pages

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Details

These Post Implementation Reviews cover amendments made in 2012 to The Video Recordings (Labelling Regulations) Act and The Video Recordings Act which aimed to increase protection for minors from potentially harmful content.

DCMS made changes to two pieces of legislation:

  • The Video Recordings (Labelling) Regulations were amended to simplify the age classification labels on video games boxed products, introducing a new clearer system where companies were only mandated to show the PEGI rating. Previously PEGI voluntarily rated all games and in addition the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) had a statutory duty to rate 16 and 18 games, with each rating body using slightly different criteria. In some cases this resulted in conflicting information on the age suitability of a product being provided to the consumer;
  • The Video Recordings Act was amended to increase the threshold for film material to become exempt from classification by the BBFC, in particular in order to regulate potentially unsuitable material in music videos sold on DVDs.

These Post Implementation Reviews assess the impact of these changes for industry and consumers.

Published 12 March 2018