The ACB has similar guidelines to the MPAA, CHVRS, and BBFC for the G and PG ratings, though on rare occasions strong language has been allowed at the PG category (ex. Both films were documentaries in which the distributor argued it was important for teenagers to see the issues presented in their films. However, films such as Gunner Palace and The Hip Hop Project have managed to well exceed this limit after getting their R ratings appealed. One of the things the MPAA is most well-known for is an urban legend about the number of uses of 'f*ck' allowed in a PG-13 film the MPAA has never gone on record saying there is an official limit, though there does appear to be a limit at one or two for the majority of films. Strong religious profanity (such as 'Jesus f*cking Christ') is viewed as highly offensive, and is a compulsory cut even at the R21 category. Strong language is officially allowed starting at the NC16 category, though depending on the frequency and context may be classified as M18 or R21. Some mild to moderate coarse language is allowed in PG and PG13 films the word 'f**k’ is also allowed infrequently at the PG13 category. Kijkwijzer is very lenient on offensive language a work cannot be rated above the AL (All Ages) rating for offensive language alone. For example, La La Land, which was rated 12A by the BBFC for a single use of 'f**k', was rated PG in Ireland. IFCO's guidelines are very close to that of the BBFC, though some exceptions have occurred. Movies that have been rated R in the United States for strong language such as Billy Elliot and The King's Speech have received children's classifications (FSK 6 and FSK 0 respectably). Moderate language is okay to the T rating, while strong language is an M rating, with only a few notable exceptions (some versions of Crazy Taxi, The Orion Conspiracy).įSK is overall very lenient on offensive language very rarely is it a classification issue all of its own. The ESRB allows for mild language is approiate for an E-rated and E10+-rated game. Works in which it is more prominent typically receive a 13+ rating it is very rare for a work to be classified 16+ or 18+ simply based on offensive language. Quebec has their own system unique from the rest of Canada this system allows offensive language to be used in a G-rated work as long as it is not prominent throughout the work or is justified by the context. There are no set limits on language at the various categories, though most provinces (with the exception of Quebec) stay close to the MPAA decision, rating films with frequent strong language with a 14A rating.īritish Columbia sometimes chooses to go against these decisions depending on the context in which the offensive language is used, rating films such as Boyhood and Pirate Radio as PG despite their strong language. The BBFC was among the ratings boards that gave a more lenient rating to The King's Speech, rating it 12A/12 for "strong language in a speech therapy context". Use of these words usually results in an automatic 12A/12 rating, and several children's works from outside the UK have been cut for a U/PG to remove the words. The BBFC used to be much stricter on very strong language, causing any aggressive use of 'c*nt’ to receive an automatic 18 rating.Ī notable major difference between the BBFC and other ratings system is their views on the words 'spaz' and 'spastic', which the BBFC views as being offensive in a children's work. More frequent strong language is limited to the 15 category, while very strong language ('c*nt') is also limited at the 15 category by number of uses and the context. Mild bad language ('hell', 'bloody', 'screwed') is allowed infrequently at the U category.
Strong language ('f**k') is allowed infrequently at 12A/12, though the BBFC is more lenient on the definition of 'infrequent' than the MPAA is for example, the film About Time was permitted with five uses of the F-word to receive a 12A/12 rating for 'infrequent strong language, moderate sex references'.
Mild language ('crap', 'a**e’, 'bloody') is permitted at the PG category, while moderate language ('who*re’, 'd**k') is inconsistently considered PG and 12A/12, depending on the context/amount of times the words are used.
The BBFC regularly deal with offensive language as a classification issue dividing it into categories such as 'very mild', 'mild', 'moderate', 'strong', and 'very strong' in consumer advice.