UK censor wants to police online video

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) wants to extend its reach to cover new media content on the internet. 

The independent organisation, which regulates British films, DVDs and video games, claimed that the internet is currently a loophole in its powers to ban inappropriate material.

Sue Clark, head of communications at the BBFC, gave the example of a banned video called Terrorists, Wackos and Other Killers where a prosecution led to a nine-month prison sentence for the person who supplied the game.

"There is nothing, in theory, to stop somebody taking that content and putting it on video-on-demand [even though] it has been deemed obscene and a successful prosecution brought against it," Clark told vnunet.com.

Clark said that people recognised that the internet may not be regulated, but expected certain types of content such as films to have passed through a classification process.

The BBFC knew of at least one distributor who sees video-on-demand as a way of getting around its controls on pornography.

"This guy has stated that he will be putting stuff out which the BBFC will not classify. He has to be prosecuted to stop that."

The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee has set up an inquiry into new media and the creative industries, which Clark hoped would lead to legislation or the introduction of a voluntary industry agreement. 

"We have not asked the government to consider this because we think that it necessarily needs legislation. It may be that the industry signs up to a voluntary system," she said.

However, Clark also warned that a change in the law could see consumers liable for the content they download.

"The Home Office is currently consulting about making it illegal to own some types of pornography. So you might buy it from abroad but you may be breaking the law in the UK if that comes into play," she said.