Children are in control of their game behaviour

The majority of all children between 8 and 14 years old say they are in control of their own game behaviour. Only three per cent of all children says they are very addicted to videogames.

The majority of all children between 8 and 14 years old say they are in control of their own game behaviour. Only three per cent says they are ‘very addicted’ to videogames, 13% says they have a mild addition to gaming. This is one of the results of a study conducted by the Dutch Jeugdjournaal (news programme for children) amongst 900 children. The respondents that found themselves to be ‘game addicted’, say this has mostly to do with the fact gaming is just ‘too much fun’ and by their desire to reach a new level.

Parents keep track of time

According to two third of all respondents, their parents monitor how long the child is playing, almost half of all parents does so on a regular basis. Nonetheless, 20% of all children admits to having played a game that their parents did not approve of. Especially older boys and girls, in the ages of 13-14 years, like to play videogames for older players, even if their parents disapprove.

Gaming with friends

The research also shows that gaming is a social activity for most children. The majority of the children play videogames together with their friends. Only 15% always plays videogames by themselves.  Children usually play with friends they also know in real life, also when they play online. A little over ten per cent of all children also plays with or against other people on the internet they have never met before.

From all respondents that indicated they play online against strangers, 12% has had a bad experience with this. The girls are more likely to tell this to their parents, almost 50% of them told their parents about it. Most of the boys do not tell anyone about having a bad experience, but if they do tell someone, most of them will go to friends, not the parents.

Not good for you

40% of the respondents thinks gaming is not good for them. The main reason for this is that gaming cuts into time they would otherwise spend playing outdoors. In addition to this, girls also find that gaming makes them lazy. A quarter of all children does think gaming is good for them. The most important reason for this is that gaming makes them smarter and happier.

Recent news

Teenagers want warnings before shocking videos on TikTok and Instagram

More than 80% of teenagers between the ages of 10 and 16 and their parents would like warnings before shocking images on social media such as TikTok and Instagram. It concerns images with violence, sex, animal suffering or ‘scary’ things. This has emerged from research by NICAM, the organization behind Kijkwijzer. Young people are afraid that the algorithm will serve them more and more videos that will make them feel afraid, embarrassed or unsafe. They not only want a warning that videos contain shocking images, but also what kind of images, so that they can decide for themselves whether they would like to watch or not.

Lees verder

Kijkwijzer on YouTube

Due to the changed Media Act, NICAM will be introducing a modified Kijkwijzer: Kijkwijzer Online.
Lees verder

All ages

All ages (AL) means that a film, series or television show contains no harmful imagery.

Read more

6 years

The age category 6 years was developed to protect young children from scary and violent imagery. Young children are especially sensitive to this kind of material.

Read more

9 years

Once children are around the age of 9, they are better able to understand whether films or series are real. That's why some productions are rated 9 years and older.

Read more

12 years

When children are between 10 and 12 years old, they start to look differently at the world around them. Still, children around this age are more easily affected by content than teenagers.

Read more

14 years

At this age, children start to use film and television to learn 'social' lessons, like: how to be yourself? And how to interact with others? Watching dangerous behaviour on screen can therefore cause issues at this age. 

Read more

16 years

Although 16-year olds are better able to understand the difference between good and bad, this doesn't mean they can just watch any film or series without trouble.

Read more

18 years

The age rating 18 years and older indicates that a film or television show is for adults only. 

Read more

Violence

When children see violence, it can make them aggressive, scared or desensitized to violence. The chance at these kind of effects is influenced by a few things, like: how realistic is the violence? Is there blood or gore? Is violence rewarded? 

Read more

Fear

Scary images can frighten children, make them restless or even cause long-term effects like nightmares. The effects vary depending on the viewer and the viewer's age. 

Read more

Sex

Children and teens that are in the middle of their (sexual) development, are not always ready to see sexual scenes. They may also be unable to interpret them correctly. Kijkwijzer takes this into consideration. How explicit a sex scene is determines the final age rating.

Read more

Coarse language

Coarse language consists of cussing and cursing, suggestive terms or sexual expletives. Children may imitate the use of offensive language and even incorporate it in their vocabulary.

Read more

Discrimination

Discrimination is any expression that suggests (a group of) people are 'inferior' in some way, for example on the basis of skin colour, religion, sexuality, sex or gender, nationality or ethnicity. If a production contains discrimination and the discriminatory action is not immediately condemned, the icon for discrimination is depicted.

Read more

Smoking, alcohol and drugs

If hard drugs are used in a production - or (a lot of) alcohol, soft drugs or tobacco - the Kijkwijzer icon for smoking, alcohol and drugs is depicted. Teenagers can start to see the use as something that's normal, or even as something worth trying. 

Read more

Dangerous challenges and stunts

Dangerous challenges and stunts regularly occur in content on video sharing platforms.

Dangerous challenges and stunts

Violence

The game contains depictions of violence. In games rated PEGI 7 this can only be non-realistic or non-detailed violence. Games rated PEGI 12 can include violence in a fantasy environment or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters, whereas games rated PEGI 16 or 18 have increasingly more realistic-looking violence.​

Fear

This descriptor may appear as 'Fear' on games with a PEGI 7 if it contains pictures or sounds that may be frightening or scary to young children, or as 'Horror' on higher-rated games that contain moderate (PEGI 12) or intense and sustained (PEGI 16) horror sequences or disturbing images (not necessarily including violent content).

Sex

This content descriptor can accompany a PEGI 12 rating if the game includes sexual posturing or innuendo, a PEGI 16 rating if there is erotic nudity or sexual intercourse without visible genitals or a PEGI 18 rating if there is explicit sexual activity in the game. Depictions of nudity in a non-sexual context do not require a specific age rating, and this descriptor would not be necessary.

Drugs

The game refers to or depicts the use of illegal drugs, alcohol or tobacco. Games with this content descriptor are always PEGI 16 or PEGI 18.

Discrimination

The game contains depictions of ethnic, religious, nationalistic or other stereotypes likely to encourage hatred. This content is always restricted to a PEGI 18 rating (and likely to infringe national criminal laws).

Bad language

The game contains bad language. This descriptor can be found on games with a PEGI 12 (mild swearing), PEGI 16 (e.g. sexual expletives or blasphemy) or PEGI 18 rating (e.g. sexual expletives or blasphemy).

PEGI 3

PEGI 7

PEGI 12

Video games that show violence of a slightly more graphic nature towards fantasy characters or non-realistic violence towards human-like characters would fall in this age category. Sexual innuendo or sexual posturing can be present, while any bad language in this category must be mild.

PEGI 16

This rating is applied once the depiction of violence (or sexual activity) reaches a stage that looks the same as would be expected in real life. The use of bad language in games with a PEGI 16 rating can be more extreme, while the use of tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs can also be present.

PEGI 18

The adult classification is applied when the level of violence reaches a stage where it becomes a depiction of gross violence, apparently motiveless killing, or violence towards defenceless characters. The glamorisation of the use of illegal drugs and of the simulation of gambling, and explicit sexual activity should also fall into this age category. 

Gambling

The game contains elements that encourage or teach gambling. These simulations of gambling refer to games of chance that are normally carried out in casinos or gambling halls. 

In-game purchases

The game offers players the option to purchase digital goods or services with real-world currency. Such purchases include additional content (bonus levels, outfits, surprise items, music), but also upgrades (e.g. to disable ads), subscriptions to updates, virtual coins and other forms of in-game currency.

If this icon is accompanied by the notice Paid Random Items, the in-game purchases may consist of offers where the player doesn't know precisely what they are buying prior to purchase (i.e. loot boxes or card packs). 

Select a language