- By Noor Nanji
- Culture reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Sex scenes that were previously acceptable in films with a 12 or 12A rating are now more likely to be rated 15 under updated guidelines.
People have become more concerned about how much sex and nudity can be seen by viewers aged under 15, the British Board of Film Classification said.
The BBFC has carried out its first major audience research for five years.
Viewers now want “a more cautious approach” to sex scenes that are on the border of a 12/12A and a 15, it said.
The BBFC recently surveyed 12,000 people to find out how attitudes have changed towards sex, violence, drug use and use of language on screen.
A 12 rating means someone must be over that age to watch the film, and a 12A means children under 12 can only go if accompanied by an adult.
For films with those ratings, the current guidelines say sexual activity “may be briefly and discreetly portrayed”, while nudity in a sexual context “must be brief and discreet”.
In a 15-rated film, sexual activity can be shown “but usually without strong detail”, while sexual…
