NetIDme Age Verification System Gains BBFC.online Accreditation

(SANEPR.com) July 16, 2008 -- Glasgow, UK, July 16 2008 - BBFC.online was launched in May and uses the Board's famous 'black cards’ and category symbols to enable users downloading new media content - video-on-demand and streamed video which is offered to the public through websites, set-top boxes and portable media devices - to judge whether it is suitable for consumption.

The scheme was devised after findings showed independent classification of downloadable or streaming video content, either on the internet or delivered by video-on-demand (VoD) services and via set-top-boxes, was patchy across the UK.

Independent research indicated that 63 per cent of adults (74 per cent of parents) were concerned about downloading video material which does not come with independent content advice and labelling.

In addition, 84 per cent of adults (91 per cent of parents) wanted to see BBFC film and DVD classification on downloadable/streaming films and other digital audiovisual content.

BBFC.online has been developed over the past 18 months, in close partnership with the video and new media industries and the British Video Association.

The BBFC scheme also requires e-tailers and VoD services to have in place age-verification software such as that produced by NetIDme to enable parents to monitor and control underage viewing.

NetIDme Chief Executive Alex Hewitt said: “BBFC.online is a revolutionary scheme that enables the application of the same rules in the online world that have been developed over many years to protect people in the real world.

To be one of the first companies to be accredited under the British Board of Film Classification's scheme - and the only one capable of verifying under 18s - is a ringing endorsement of our age-verification software, which is currently used by a number of blue chip companies."

Andy Cooke, Business Manager for BBFC.online, said: "We are pleased to commend NetIDme as a novel solution for our members in meeting their obligations to age-verify viewers of digital content in the 12, 15 and adult categories, whilst minimizing the exposure of younger viewers to potential abuse of their personal information."