Game of Thrones and Euphoria given age ratings as BBFC deploys new AI tool
TL;DR
The BBFC has assigned age ratings to UK shows like Game of Thrones and Euphoria using a new AI tool. This marks the first time these shows have received official ratings in the UK, with both rated 18 overall for HBO Max's launch.
Key points
- BBFC deployed an AI tool for content classification
- Game of Thrones and Euphoria received age ratings for the first time
- BBFC ratings range from U to 18 for adult content
- HBO Max titles were assigned ratings for UK launch
- Streaming services are not required to submit content to BBFC
Mentioned in this story
TV shows including Game of Thrones and Euphoria have received age ratings for the first time in the UK, after the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) deployed an AI tool to help assess content.
The BBFC has developed a tool to identify content that triggers compliance issues, such as violence, nudity and bad language. The flagged scenes are then passed over to BBFC staff for human review.
The BBFC announced on Wednesday the technology had made its debut, classifying the entire UK catalogue of HBO Max, the Netflix rival whose shows include the multi-award-winning The Sopranos as well as The Wire, The Last of Us and The Pitt.
As a result, all the HBO Max titles were assigned BBFC age ratings – with Game of Thrones and Euphoria receiving an overall rating of 18, although some individual episodes were rated 15 – for the platform’s UK launch last month.
BBFC ratings range from U, which flags content as suitable for all ages, to the adults-only rating of 18, which typically applies to content with scenes containing material such as strong sex and violence. The organisation awards ratings for film and DVD releases but streaming services are not required to submit their content to the BBFC, although Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video all use the BBFC system.
David Austin, the BBFC chief executive, described the use of AI for HBO Max content as “a major step forward in how we support families to make safe and informed viewing decisions”.
The BBFC system, which is trained on the regulator’s guidelines, was fed the HBO Max content and produced a time-coded report that a human compliance officer then reviewed, watching and vetting the relevant scenes or entire episodes if necessary. The BBFC said the content vetted by the classification tool was not used for further AI model training or retraining.
The BBFC said it had completed the classification of HBO Max’s entire catalogue in six months, a process that normally would have required 1,570 working days – or more than four years – of viewing from a compliance officer. The organisation said the final age ratings and content advice remained the sole responsibility of BBFC staff.
Q&A
What age rating did Game of Thrones receive from the BBFC?
Game of Thrones received an overall age rating of 18 from the BBFC, although some individual episodes were rated 15.
How does the BBFC's new AI tool work for content classification?
The BBFC's AI tool identifies content that may trigger compliance issues, such as violence and nudity, which is then reviewed by human staff.
Which streaming services use the BBFC rating system?
Streaming services like Netflix, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video utilize the BBFC rating system for their content.
