BBFC to "co-operate fully" with govt decision
But ratings board still believes it's better-placed to deliver on requirements
The BBFC has released a statement following its snub by the government over videogames ratings in the Digital Britain report, released today.
The board's director, David Cooke, has said that the organisation will "co-operate fully" with the decision, but still believes it is better-placed to satisfy the government's requirements - and stressed that independence of action will remain crucial.
"We have argued consistently that any games classification system needs to put child protection at its heart," he said. "It must involve consultation with the British public, command their trust, and reflect their sensibilities. It must take account of tone and context and be carried out by skilled and knowledgeable examiners.
"It needs to involve the provision of full, helpful and carefully weighed information to parents and the public more generally. It must have the power and will to reject or intervene in relation to unacceptable games or game elements. It should make a substantial contribution to media education, for example through dedicated websites and through work with pupils, students and teachers.
"It must be speedy and cost effective. It must have the capabilities to monitor online gameplay and to attract new members to online classification schemes. And it must be independent in substance as well as appearance, reaching its decisions and providing information on the basis of its own detailed assessments.
"The BBFC has always supported PEGI and wished it well, but it continues to believe that it satisfies these requirements better than PEGI. However, it will cooperate fully in the detailed work needed to give effect to the Government's decision. And it must be independent in substance as well as appearance, reaching its decisions and providing information on the basis of its own detailed assessments."
The full text of the government decision noted that the BBFC would continue to rate film content within games, and that the BBFC online service would remain as "part of the range of online safeguards helping parents and children determine what content is appropriate".