United Kingdom

[GB] British Board of Film Classification's Annual Report Calls for Legalisation of “Hard Porn”

IRIS 1998-8:1/26

David Goldberg

deeJgee Research/Consultancy

The Annual Report of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) was published on 13 August. The Report proposes a fresh approach to the control of pornography in the UK, largely in the light of the failure to stem the burgeoning black market in violently pornographic videos. The Report suggests that licensed sex shops should be freer to sell explicit videos, provided they do not include violence or any paedophile element. In general, the Report argues that the current obscenity laws do not work, foster a demand that cannot be met legally and force police and magistrates to act as "surrogate censors". The BBFC's proposals have been attacked by the National Viewers and Listeners Association but "cautiously welcomed" by the Association of Chief Police Officers.