Organisation of self-regulation

Name:

Media Council for Children and Young People

Type of organisation:

Association

Geographical scope:

Denmark

Content-related scope:

movies

Related areas:

youth protection

In May 1997 the National Board of Film Censorship was abolished in favour of the Media Council for Children and Young People. The reason why this change was implemented was due to a change of attitude towards film and censorship. Thus moving from being an old "prohibition institution" to a new modern institution with a broader composition, and with more expansive commitments to protect children through user empowerment.

The change meant implementing new age limits, new parental guidance rules and a Media Council, where experts on children, scientists, professionals from the film industry and users together state the criteria for film classification, guide and inform the public and develop children’s media competence.

The new attitude towards the protection of children is updated to meet the challenges and conditions of network society. It is based on the observation that children appear to cope with the new conditions and challenges of network society far better that adults do. Moreover, recent media research reveals that the media are an important resource for children’s acquisition of knowledge of the world about them. Finally, a number of studies show that children who develop the largest number of media skills in the broadest sense manage the new conditions best in terms of their own social, cultural and psychological development.

Get more information from this website:
http://www.medieraadet.dk/

Available on the website since October 17, 2008