Children choose what to watch

New research by the British Board of FIlm Classification (BBFC) has revealed that more than half of children aged six-15 choose what to watch all or almost all of the time, without help from their parents.
By Janet Harrison
Published 11th Sep 2020, 13:13 BST
Talk to your child about having some responses ready if they are asked to send explicit imagesTalk to your child about having some responses ready if they are asked to send explicit images
Talk to your child about having some responses ready if they are asked to send explicit images

The research, by YouGov, showed that as many as 46 per cent of six-year-olds are regularly making their own decisions about what to watch without asking mum or dad.

Four in 10 (42 per cent) parents say they’re worried about the effect of watching disturbing or upsetting content might have on their development.

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And six in 10 (63 per cent) parents of 12-15 year olds think that films and TV can be a useful springboard in starting difficult conversations with their children around topics like mental health and sexuality.

And interestingly, three quarters of teens agree (72 per cent).

When it comes to parents with young children, two thirds (65 per cent) with four-11-years-olds say that content can help them start conversations about relationship breakdown, death, illness or bullying. And their children also agree (66 per cent).

David Austin, Chief Executive of the BBFC, said: “It’s clear from our new research that young people and their parents need the right information to help them choose content well.

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“It’s vital for children’s healthy development, and parents’ peace of mind, that they’re confident they’re pressing play on something that won’t cause harm or upset.

“It’s very encouraging that parents - and their children - are approaching each other to talk about depictions of issues they see on screen.

“That’s why we have comprehensive ratings info on our website, alongside our trusted and well known age ratings, which gives everyone an idea of what to expect.”

Girls are much more likely to talk about their mental health with a parent after watching content on a streaming service - with a quarter of six-15-year-old girls (25 per cent) saying they’ve approached a parent after seeing something, compared to less than one in five (19 per cent) boys.

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Fieldwork for the research was undertaken between March 6-11 and the survey was carried out online.

The BBFC is independent and not-for-profit organisation which works to help people, especially children and families - choose age-appropriate films, videos and websites, wherever and however they watch or use them.

Now, as well as classifying films released in UK cinemas and on DVD and Blu-ray, it is providing age-ratings for Video On Demand and music videos online, and helping mobile phone operators set parental controls at the right level.

Find out more information on the BBFC website www.bbfc.co.uk