2. Banned MusicVideos
• Eminem – Just Lose It: “Inappropriate and disrespectful” was the quote used by
Michael Jackson when referring to Eminem’s representation of him. Once
Michael Jackson spoke out saying this, Black EntertainmentTelevision banned
the video; a video which depicted MJ on a bed, with children and he had no nose.
Madonna, Pee-Wee Herman andVanilla Ice all also featured within the video but
didn’t make as much of a complaint compared to MJ, mainly due to the fact that
he was fighting child molestation charges at the time. https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dcVOmEQzKA
• M.I.A – Born Free:This video depicted a young boy being blown up as well as
another young boy being shot in the head referring to redhead genocide. Nudity
is visible as well as the violence, which resulted inYoutube banning the video,
(although the video has been made available since). Racist connotations have
been debated by thousands of people since the videos re-availability. https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeMvUlxXyz8
3. High Power Authorities – BBFC & OFCOM
• BBFC controls regulations for music videos but they don’t tend to add age
restricting rules unless it contains adult-content. Recently, there was a
consultation launched by the government to restrict the sexualisation of children
in music videos.The outcome was that theVideo Recordings Act should be
amended to restrict the likelihood of this sort of content surfacing through
media.
• OFCOM regulate what goes on everybody'sTV screen- if the public doesn’t like
what they are seeing, then they can complain directly of OFCOM. OFCOM
operates under the Communications Act 2003.
• As a fully independent video source,YouTube can decide whether an artists video is
inappropriate for their website.This means that artists are unable to upload it to
their official channel. However the video may find its way onto the website
through other unofficial channels.
4. Implementing Regulations Difficulties
• BBFC can have extreme difficulties when it comes to preventing people from uploading
inappropriate content as online content can be published freely and anybody can produce
the content. In an attempt to prevent such content being uploaded, BBFC have requested
certain members of an online community to report content that’s considered unlawful or
explicit.
• Further problems could also be the creation of fake accounts by young children lying about
their age in order to view such content. For example, the simple change of a date of birth
could allow a 10 year old the access to an 18 rated video.
• The primary reasoning for age restrictions is to prevent younger children from accessing
explicit videos that could be seen as a bad influence or upsetting.Youtube is being
questioned as to whether it’s doing enough to protect children from viewing such content.
Defences and restrictions can be hacked within systems and websites to be able to upload
explicit content in order to get viewings.
