Censorship overseas
Every country operates its own censorship system. In some countries censorship is greatly influenced by politics (China) or religion (Samoa, Saudi Arabia). Cultural and historical factors also affect how a country treats its citizens' access to all kinds of information.
In New Zealand, the Office of Film and Literature Classification can classify a huge variety of publication types. However, many countries have specialist film censorship bodies that do not deal with other types of publications. They can be government run classification bodies operating under legislation (eg New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Singapore), or industry run classification boards (eg UK, USA ).
Some countries have virtually no restrictions on what types of films can be seen by their population, for example, France. However, nearly all countries ban films promoting the sexual exploitation of children.
Examples of overseas film classification systems
| Country | Classification Authority | Government or industry-run? | What do they classify? | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Classification Board | Government | Films/videos/DVDs/ computer games/print publications | Compulsory system |
| United Kingdom | British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) | Industry | Films/videos/DVDs/ computer games | Local authorities can override the BBFC's classifications on cinema films (not DVD/video/games) |
| United States | Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) | Industry | Films/videos/DVDs | Voluntary system operated by the MPAA and the National Association of Theater Owners. The ratings are given by a board of parents who comprise the Classification and Rating Administration Organization. |
| United States | Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) | Industry | Computer games | Voluntary system but most games that are sold at retail in the US and Canada are rated by the ESRB |
| Ireland | Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO) | Government | Films/videos/DVDs/some R18+ level games | Ireland uses the PEGI (Pan-European Games Information) ratings for games, although IFCO can ban a game (e.g Manhunt 2 was banned in 2006) |
| Singapore | Board of Film Censors (BFC) under the Media Development Authority (MDA) | Government | Films/videos/DVDs/ computer games | Censorship criteria include political censorship |
Links to overseas censorship websites
- Australian Classification Board: www.classification.gov.au
- British Board of Film Classification (BBFC): www.bbfc.co.uk
- Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA): www.mpaa.org
- US Classification and Rating Administration: www.filmratings.com
- US Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB): www.esrb.org
- Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO):www.ifco.ie
- Pan-European Games Information: www.pegi.info
- Singapore's Media Development Authority: www.mda.gov.sg
