Censorship Exam Practice

Will we ever reach a point where as an audience, we are so desensitised that we don't need the BBFC anymore?

In my opinion, there will not be a point where the BBFC is not needed. As the audience become more desensitised to texts, producers would try to take advantage, by making their films more explicit. Different audiences such as children would be susceptible to what they see and may be negatively influenced, hence they would be unable to question what they see in the text, as it is constantly visible in the media.

It can be argued that the BBFC won't be needed in the future as audiences are becoming more desensitised, as signified with lads mags and newspapers such as The Sun's page 3, which contain sexual content on the front covers and inside the publication. This exposure to immoral content can also be stemmed from violent video games like COD, Kane and Lynch, which are mainly played by younger audiences, who can gain access to mature rated games fairly easily.

However, the exposure to such games may result in a moral panic, as younger audiences are influenced by these games, hence the need for more control than the BBFC is required. Though, previous cases have proved that the BBFC is essential, as signified with the Manhunt game, which supposedly inspired two teenagers to kidnap and kill 3 year old, Jamie Bulger. The methods used by the two boys can be seen in the film Childs Play 3, which one of their parents had rented. This case clarifies how the need for the BBFC is essential , as they could access the game easily and be negatively influenced by it.

If audiences do get more desensitised in the future, the need to ban such games could be well enforced. Or, the need for higher age ratings might well be introduced, instead of getting rid of the BBFC.