Media classification

Proposer
Autumn-Leah
State

Rejected

Vote Score

-1

Age

2564 days


@Autumn-Leah edited culture.md - about 7 years ago

Media Retractions

Media outlet retractions should mirror the original article. This covers font size, word count, page space and positioning within the document. If a media outlet does not follow this it will receive a fine from Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO).

The BBFC and Media Classification

We believe that a non-governmental organisation (NGO) should never be able to assert legality of a given thing, whether that be media, furniture, or types of hat. Thus, the BBFC will be stripped of any and all powers it holds, including their ability to rate a film in such a way that it restricts who can buy it in a shop that is in no way connected to the NGO.

Whilst we believe that no non-governmental organisation should be able to assert the legality of a given thing, we do accept that media classification may be useful for consumers. Therefore, the BBFC will be open to competition against any new classification bodies.

Under new legislation, no classification body will have the ability to make purchases of the film by those under the rated age illegal, nor will shops have the right to prevent the sale of such films to said age range (as we recognise that age is not the sole determinant of maturity), with the exception of pornographic films.

All film classification entities must have ratings (that are not legally binding to the store or customer) relating to: * the recommended age of the viewer, * the environment under the EMA Green Seal system, * female representation (a ranking that increases when a movie passes the Bechdel test, the "Mako Mori" test, has multiple female cast members that affect the plot in a manner that does not merely advance the story for another character, and does not include the trope of the Ms. Male Character) * male representation (a rating that judges through ranking whether: a film advances themes of male disposability, deals with any "mens issues", portrays them in a negative light (to the extent of not being violent, sexually abusive, unable to be trusted with children, 'deadbeat dads', commitment phobic or in need of 're-construction'.), has exclusively male villains, or portrays young boys in such a manner that it could be said they are portrayed as defective girls.[^mens-issues-in-media]) * race issues (evaluating the ethnic diversity of the cast and, to a lesser extent, the crew, whether it passes the shukla test: wherein two characters of non white ethnicity have a discussion without mentioning the race of the other in a film that isn't about race issues; and whether two characters, one of white ethnicity and the other of non white ethnicity, can have a discussion without mentioning the race of the other in a film that isn't about race issues) * LGBTQIAP+ issues (analyzing whether a film passes the Vito Russo Test)

[^mens-issues-in-media]: Mens issues

Autumn-Leah

@Autumn-Leah - about 7 years ago

This is a big one. Representation in media is an important way in which peoples perceptions are shaped, thus having ratings based on these things makes sense, these would not be in any way legally binding and age restrictions would be done away with for the reasons stated in the policy. I'd explain further about the BBFC but I think I covered it rather thoroughly.

@Autumn-Leah edited culture.md - about 7 years ago

Media Retractions

Media outlet retractions should mirror the original article. This covers font size, word count, page space and positioning within the document. If a media outlet does not follow this it will receive a fine from Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO).

The BBFC and Media Classification

We believe that a non-governmental organisation (NGO) should never be able to assert legality of a given thing, whether that be media, furniture, or types of hat. Thus, the BBFC will be stripped of any and all powers it holds, including their ability to rate a film in such a way that it restricts who can buy it in a shop that is in no way connected to the NGO.

Whilst we believe that no non-governmental organisation should be able to assert the legality of a given thing, we do accept that media classification may be useful for consumers. Therefore, the BBFC will be open to competition against any new classification bodies.

Under new legislation, no classification body will have the ability to make purchases of the film by those under the rated age illegal, nor will shops have the right to prevent the sale of such films to said age range (as we recognise that age is not the sole determinant of maturity), with the exception of pornographic films.

All film classification entities must have ratings (that are not legally binding to the store or customer) relating to:

  • the recommended age of the viewer,
  • the environment under the EMA Green Seal system,
  • female representation (a ranking that increases when a movie passes the Bechdel test, the "Mako Mori" test, has multiple female cast members that affect the plot in a manner that does not merely advance the story for another character, and does not include the trope of the Ms. Male Character)
  • male representation (a rating that judges through ranking whether: a film advances themes of male disposability, deals with any "mens issues", portrays them in a negative light (to the extent of not being violent, sexually abusive, unable to be trusted with children, 'deadbeat dads', commitment phobic or in need of 're-construction'.), has exclusively male villains, or portrays young boys in such a manner that it could be said they are portrayed as defective girls.[^mens-issues-in-media])
  • race issues (evaluating the ethnic diversity of the cast and, to a lesser extent, the crew, whether it passes the shukla test: wherein two characters of non white ethnicity have a discussion without mentioning the race of the other in a film that isn't about race issues; and whether two characters, one of white ethnicity and the other of non white ethnicity, can have a discussion without mentioning the race of the other in a film that isn't about race issues)
  • LGBTQIAP+ issues (analyzing whether a film passes the Vito Russo Test)

[^mens-issues-in-media]: Mens issues

@Autumn-Leah edited culture.md - about 7 years ago

Media Retractions

Media outlet retractions should mirror the original article. This covers font size, word count, page space and positioning within the document. If a media outlet does not follow this it will receive a fine from Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO).

The BBFC and Media Classification

We believe that a non-governmental organisation (NGO) should never be able to assert legality of a given thing, whether that be media, furniture, or types of hat. Thus, the BBFC will be stripped of any and all powers it holds, including their ability to rate a film in such a way that it restricts who can buy it in a shop that is in no way connected to the NGO.

Whilst we believe that no non-governmental organisation should be able to assert the legality of a given thing, we do accept that media classification may be useful for consumers. Therefore, the BBFC will be open to competition against any new classification bodies.

Under new legislation, no classification body will have the ability to make purchases of the film by those under the rated age illegal, nor will shops have the right to prevent the sale of such films to said age range (as we recognise that age is not the sole determinant of maturity), with the exception of pornographic films.

All film classification entities must have ratings (that are not legally binding to the store or customer) relating to:

  • the recommended age of the viewer,
  • the environment under the EMA Green Seal system,
  • female representation (a ranking that increases when a movie passes the Bechdel test, the "Mako Mori" test, has multiple female cast members that affect the plot in a manner that does not merely advance the story for another character, and does not include the trope of the Ms. Male Character)
  • male representation (a rating that judges through ranking whether: a film advances themes of male disposability, deals with any "mens issues", portrays them in a negative light (to the extent of not being violent, sexually abusive, unable to be trusted with children, 'deadbeat dads', commitment phobic or in need of 're-construction'.), has exclusively male villains, or portrays young boys in such a manner that it could be said they are portrayed as defective girls. [^mens-issues-in-media] )
  • race issues (evaluating the ethnic diversity of the cast and, to a lesser extent, the crew, whether it passes the shukla test: wherein two characters of non white ethnicity have a discussion without mentioning the race of the other in a film that isn't about race issues; and whether two characters, one of white ethnicity and the other of non white ethnicity, can have a discussion without mentioning the race of the other in a film that isn't about race issues)
  • LGBTQIAP+ issues (analyzing whether a film passes the Vito Russo Test)

[^mens-issues-in-media]: Mens issues

Floppy

@Floppy - about 7 years ago

This is an interesting one. I'm thinking. :)

Floppy

@Floppy - about 7 years ago

(thinking out loud) Is it that they must have such ratings, or that the opening up of the BBFC would allow/encourage such ratings to be created and adopted, a bit like a fairtrade food stamp? I'm all for equality and improving representation in media, but a compulsory rating system across such things seems draconian.

Floppy

@Floppy - about 7 years ago

For now I'm a no on this, is feels rather too nanny-statey. But I like the idea of allowing it or encouraging it to happen naturally.

Vote: ❎

ghost

@ghost - about 7 years ago

The movies don't have to be rated at all, but if they are to be rated, they must have all ratings present on the casing.

ghost

@ghost - about 7 years ago

It doesn't regulate the customer, only the rating org, so that people know what movies they're buying. It's a consumer advice measure, not a measure to restrict the liberties of individuals.

ghost

@ghost - about 7 years ago

They would all be separate ratings, not one joint rating.

Xyleneb

@Xyleneb - about 7 years ago

I don't know what the law is on this. What separates commercial publishing from youtube?

ghost

@ghost - about 7 years ago

@Xyleneb One's on YouTube and one's in IRL stores. Thankfully the policy doesn't deal with that, all it does is add mandatory ratings that each rating org must provide for it's films/customers (depending on whether it's a for profit NGO or not) and thereby encouraging consumers to be more informed, ensures that age ratings aren't binding, and allows movies to not be rated at all if they don't want to be, since the power removal from the BBFC would ensure that they have little to no power to ensure films and other media get rated in the first place (unless there's legislation in the way, in which case tell me so I can add the repeal of it).

geeksareforlife

@geeksareforlife - almost 7 years ago

I really like the idea of having additional classifications, but I can't get past having minimum ages for buying films.

As a parent, I rely a fair deal on these (only U/PG at the moment, but I am already looking at the difference between 12/12A). I completely understand that individuals mature at different rates, but sometimes we need broad strokes.

Also, pornographic films - how are we to define those? Who, if not the BBFC, decides what a pornographic film is? I can see that being a rabbit hole that no-one really wants to go down!

openpolitics-bot

@openpolitics-bot - almost 7 years ago

Closed automatically: maximum age exceeded. Please feel free to resubmit this as a new proposal, however, based on the current text.