Regulation in the media

Regulation is the control/moderation over the content displayed in media products to determine whether the material is suitable for people of certain ages, and that the product does not project views against laws and morals. In the UK, it is legally required that every cinematic release is given an age rating by the BBFC, however in the 21^st century, the general public are exposed to a wide range of media products including TV shows, Music videos, Videogames and advertising to name a few, which all must be regulated to ensure the safety of the consumer.

As for who regulates the media, it is important that a diverse range of regulators agree on the ways products are rated, to ensure that views towards specific areas are not determined in bias. It is also important to re-watch the content to make sure that certain themes and messages haven’t gone unnoticed.

Nowadays, I believe that regulation of the media is more important than ever, as we live in an age of user generated content through sites such as YouTube, where videos are uploaded way too frequently to be regulated by a human. Many videos which target young children contain disturbing/inappropriate content for young minds, yet are deemed suitable due to their innocent appearance. It is also apparent that many parents are uneducated about age ratings for films/games, as many children grow up playing games and watching films which are inappropriate for impressionable young minds, so it is important that parents pay close attention to the types of content their children are consuming.