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Introduction

The Board works on five major principles in determining the category of a given work:

  • Precedent - every decision is taken in the light of a previous case, thereby ensuring consistency
  • Balancing context against detail, with due weight given to the intention of the work as well as the actual images shown
  • Current published Guidelines covering what is acceptable in each classification category from 'U' through to 'R18'
  • Arguments made in mitigation for specific issues, if overall the work is thought to offer positive messages to a younger audience
  • The work's target audience - who is likely to want to watch this film, and to whom does it 'speak'

As well as the relevant legislation, the main classification issues are:

  • Violence
  • Weapons
  • Imitable techniques
  • Sex
  • Sexual language
  • Sexual violence
  • Drugs
  • Horror
  • Criminal activity
  • Language
  • Theme
  • Tone

Additionally decisions are made with reference to academic and public opinion research.

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