Parents feel unable to protect children from inappropriate images {One poll news}

http://news.onepoll.com/parents-feel-unable-protect-children-inappropriate-images/#

Following a recent government-commissioned report regarding the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood (Letting Children be Children), politicians are now looking to discuss restrictions for music DVDs and

videos.  They will look at whether music DVD’s should have ratings like those of films and if online music videos should have warnings of explicit content.

Head of the Mothers’ Union, Reg Bailey conducted the report, which highlighted that parents are worried about protecting their children from inappropriate images as they are so widely available.

OnePoll conducted a survey on 1000 parents with children under the age of 18 across the UK to find out their opinions on placing ratings on music DVD’s and warnings on online music videos.  Our survey aimed to find out how exposed parents thought their children were to inappropriate images and whether they thought music should be subject to a watershed.

Key Results

• 68% think music DVD’s should have film-style age ratings
• 74% think online music videos should have warnings if they contain explicit content
• 74% think warnings and ratings would help protect children from content that they should perhaps not be looking at

Protective Parents

Shockingly, 6 out of 10 parents do not feel able to protect their children from inappropriate images in music videos and DVD’s.  While 18% make sure every video their children watch is suitable, 46% say they try to monitor what their children watch but can’t be with them all the time.  A further 16% admit they can’t stop them watching videos as they are so easily available.  The government is now talking about there being a way for parents to filter out music and videos which are aimed at an older audience and 72% of parents we surveyed agree with this.

Watershed                       

Currently, music videos can be shown on television at any time of the day, and with widely accessible music channels, they are often easily available for children to watch.  Watershed restrictions state that programmes broadcast between 5.30am and 9pm must be suitable for children, which rules out programmes that contain violence, intimidation, sex, and various other images.

At present, these restrictions do not apply to music videos which sometimes have content that, if in a film, would only be broadcast after 9pm. We asked parents if they thought that certain music videos should be included in watershed restrictions and 71% agreed.

Radio does not, at present, have a watershed, and programs scheduled are based on who the presenters expect the audience to be.  As 62% of parents that we surveyed think currently lyrics in songs are too sexually explicit, 66% think certain songs should only be played on radio after a certain time.  When asked what time they think this should be;

• 36% think after 9pm
• 18% think after 8pm
• 12% think after 10pm

How would children feel about these restrictions?

The majority (43%) think children would find ways to watch the videos regardless of what restrictions the government attempted to put in place.  However, over a third think they wouldn’t notice they were being restricted and 17% think they would understand that it is not appropriate for them to watch those types of videos.

It appears that the majority of parents believe that their children are being exposed to too much adult content in songs and videos as the report suggests.  They do want restrictions, ratings and warnings to help protect children from potentially distressing images as it is near impossible to make sure that minors do not access unsuitable images all of the time.  With music videos not subject to watershed rules, but containing similar images found on television shows and films, it poses the question; why do they not come under watershed restrictions?