NICAM has developed a Kijkwijzer application for the classification of user generated videos online: 'You Rate It'.
You Rate It is especially designed for online video portals such as YouTube. The BBFC – British Board of Film Classification – has joined us and You Rate It is now officially a NICAM/ BBFC coproduction. It is designed to enable those with responsibility for children to make fully informed viewing choices in relation to non-professional content online.
Through a single, simple, free to complete questionnaire, the tool instantaneously produces an age rating which can be used by websites, apps, filters, video websites, search functionalities, etc. The ratings can differ from country to country to reflect different national sensitivities and concerns over content. For example, strong language is an issue for consumers in the UK but not in the Netherlands. The tool reflects such differences.
The tool is simple. It contains six questions about the content of the UGC, on behaviour, drugs, horror, language, sex and violence. Completing the questionnaire takes fewer than a couple of minutes.
The European Commission has invited a coalition of large international internet companies to join us and investigate whether You Rate It is an effective classification tool for presently unrated non-professional content. In relation to this coalition we have started a pilot with Mediaset in Italy for their own user generated video platform. NICAM and the BBFC would welcome the involvement of other ratings bodies and platforms to develop the tool still further for other markets.
The European Commission is very active in making the internet a safer place for kids and NICAM is closely involved in this.
More information on You Rate It can be found on: www.yourateit.eu