BBFC sets self-rating agreement with Prime Video, to initially cover Amazon Originals and Exclusives

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has signed an agreement with Amazon’s Prime Video service allowing Prime Video to rate titles on the platform internally.

The agreement initially covers Prime Video’s Amazon Originals and Exclusives titles, and arrives at the completion of a 12-month pilot of the process. The BBFC will audit Prime Video classification decisions on an ongoing basis; and will work with Prime Video to embed BBFC standards within the company’s internal compliance process.

Prime Video supplements BBFC age ratings on its UK service with its own global content descriptors. As part of this new agreement, during the first half of 2025, Prime Video will begin to display BBFC Content Advice tailored specifically for UK audiences and compliant with current BBFC Classification Guidelines.

According to the BBFC, the ultimate aim of the partnership is to have BBFC age ratings across the majority of Prime Video’s SVoD and TVoD content. The BBFC and Prime Video first began working together in 2015.

BBFC classification standards are based on audience research to reflect UK expectations of what is appropriate for children to see in media content. The most recent research round in 2023 involved 12,000 people across the UK.

Research conducted on behalf of the BBFC earlier this year showed that 81% of survey respondents want a consistent age rating system across cinema, physical media and Video on Demand streaming services.

BBFC chief executive David Austin described the partnership as “a fantastic example of best practice, which we hope to replicate with other streaming services operating in the UK to help and empower families, in line with the clearly expressed preference for consistency .”

Chris Bird, UK managing director at Prime Video, said the “important work enables us to give our customers the best possible user experience.”

Upcoming Amazon Prime Video Exclusives titles in the UK and Ireland include Ron Howard’s Toronto premiere Eden starring Sydney Sweeney, Ana de Armas, Jude Law, Daniel Bruhl and Vanessa Kirby.

Last month the BBFC renewed a similar partnership with Netflix until at least late 2028, having first struck that deal in 2019. The agreement allows Netflix to generate age ratings and content advice in line with BBFC guidelines.

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