British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced a new program that will rate music videos like movies — though it’s not clear how effectively it will block inappropriate content.
“We’re going to help parents protect their children from some of the graphic content in online music videos,” Cameron said in a speech to the Royal College of GPs in London on Monday. The three-month pilot program will begin in October.
Music videos will be rated by the British Board of Film Classification, which also rates feature films. The Board will assign three age-appropriate labels: 12, 15 or 18. It’s unclear whether videos will also be rated “G” or “U” for everybody, or whether 12 is simply the youngest age one can be to watch a music video in the UK.
Cameron said Vevo and YouTube have agreed to the initiative, as has the BPI. According to their website, BPI represents the British arms of Universal Music, Sony Music, and Warner Music as well as 300 other labels, which account for 85% of all music released in the UK.
The ratings will only apply to British-made music. That means they probably won’t limit controversial American music videos like Miley Cyrus’ ”Wrecking Ball” or Robin Thicke’s ”Blurred Lines”.
Cameron’s most recent attempt to clean up the web for children was roundly criticized. In December 2013, internet service providers implemented opt-out porn filters under government pressure. The filters failed to block all hardcore pornography, but did block access to informational websites about drugs and sex, as well as domestic abuse charity sites.
Source: Mashable
