Why and where to use digital ratings

In 2008, the Home Entertainment industry and the BBFC worked together to extend the packaged media age ratings labelling system to video distributed over the internet.

Customers want to be able make the same informed viewing and purchasing choices when using Digital Video Services as they do when visiting the cinema or renting or buying DVDs and Blu-ray.

Many digital video services (both licensed and unlicensed by us) require a BBFC age rating before they will make your work available. If you choose to apply for a digital age rating for any works unreleased on DVD, Blu-ray or VHS in the UK it will increase the number of platforms available for you to retail your work.

Benefits of BBFC digital age ratings

• Applying for a BBFC digital age rating is the only way that a BBFC age rating can be used for works on Digital Video Services if that work has not previously been rated for DVD, Blu-ray or VHS
• You can obtain all the age ratings data required by key platforms as part of their submission criteria, including the age category and BBFC Insight
• Fast turnaround: age ratings are available in as little as two days after submission
• Low cost: 57% cheaper than DVD/Blu-ray submissions

The BBFC defends its age ratings. Once your works are age rated by the BBFC you can supply them to Digital Video Services confident that they will have been a clean bill of health in regard to complying with UK laws including, but not limited to the following:

• The Human Rights Act 1998
• The Obscene Publications Acts 1959 and 1964
• The Protection of Children Act 1978
• The Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008
• The Public Order Act 1986
• The Animal Welfare Act 2006
• Coroners and Justice Act 2009

Other popular Digital Video Services

We are working to license all Digital Video Services to ensure that they display our age ratings correctly.

While unlicensed services do not display our age ratings, please be aware that they may still request proof of your BBFC age rating before they will make your title available to their customers.