- What are FSK and USK actually and why do they exist?
- Both movies and computer games are checked
- There are five different ratings for media
- on what content special attention is paid to the classification
- What is the index and how do productions end up on this list?
On infamous horror film was after almost four decades taken from index and can now be sold again: “Faces of Death”*. First from 18 years, understood. But although we are confronted with the age rating with every movie or game purchase, many people are often not clear what FSK and USK are exactly or what the index is all about.
What are FSK and USK actually?
The “voluntary self-regulation of the film industry” (FSK) and the “entertainment software self-regulation” (USK) check the age rating of audiovisual media and media carriers or video games and their trailers. In public space in Germany this information is binding. This means that cinemas, film distributors and sellers of films and computer games must comply. In principle, however, the state does not regulate how parents make media content accessible to their children at home.
There is by FSK five different ratings: Media can therefore be released from the age of 0, 6, 12, 16 or 18 years. For example, too many dark, fast-moving scenes already prevent a rating of 0 years and older, as they development of children can be negatively influenced by anxiety. films themselves deal with socially critical issues, but are approved for children over 12. According to the FSK, these are reasonable for the age group. Excluded from the restrictions, however, are games for informational, illustrative and educational purposes, which are marked as such. in the contrast to movies However, games do not have to be checked as a matter of principle, since production companies have to pay for the assessment of the USK. Games without label are therefore basically treated like games without youth release.
Special cases are Switzerland and Austria. There are also classifications by FSK and USK – but you don’t have to stick to them. Here are the Ratings are recommendations only.
Are index films banned?
When a movie or game is indexed, the media ends up on the List of media harmful to young people the Federal Agency for the Protection of Children and Young People in the Media (BzKJ). Indexing takes care of that restrictions in presentation, application, delivery, distribution and distribution. This also means that the medium may not be offered, shown, given or otherwise made accessible to children and young people under the age of 18.
Of the Sale to adults however, is allowed. The media may, for example, be sold under the counter, but not publicly advertised. That means you explicitly asking for that movie or game got to. Failure to comply with indexed media regulations face fines and even imprisonment.
The indexing of a medium is by the way not equivalent to confiscation. Because then they can no longer be sold. Reason for confiscation is a Violation of at least one paragraph of the German penal code. However, possession of a confiscated medium is not forbiddenif it is not a film or game confiscated because of child or youth pornography.
Conclusion
If the film lands on the notorious Index, it has good reasons: These can calls for violence, racial hatred and crime. Likewise are detailed depictions of violencethe suggestion of self-harm behavior or vigilantism, glorification of war and violation of human dignity forbidden. Also discrimination of groups of people, the glorification of drug and excessive alcohol consumption and the glorification of National Socialism Reasons for the index.
Still, it’s for movies and games often a fine line to walk between indexing and open sale. Because more and more often films and games are set up brutal shock effectswhich were unthinkable before, but are today considered quite normal – as evidenced by the release of the aforementioned horror film. Further examples for this are “Scream”, “Terminator” and “Children of Wrath”.
The classification of films and computer games has changed changed over time. Many of these were indicated just a few years ago, but are now freely available for sale without any problems. Whether this change is a good or bad sign is probably a matter of opinion.
