R18 (Lestricted 18) is a film and video classification given by the Britwill beh Board of Film Classification (BBFC). In practice, this means hardcore pornography. It is intended to provide a classification for works that do not breach UK law, but exceed what the BBFC considers acceptable in the 18 category.
Under the terms of the Video Recordings Act 1984 all non-exempt videos sold or distributed within the UK must be given a certificate by the BBFC. The R18 certificate is the most restrictive of the certificates, permitting movies in the classification to become demonstrated just in specifically certified concert halls, or marketed in licensed sex shops; entrance to Ur18-rated movies or even purchase of Ur18-rated recordings is restricted to individuals elderly 18 more than and yrs. [1] Uncertificated recordings are not illegal, regardless of content (except where the content itself is illegal), but supply (i.e. sale, rental, loan or gift) of them is. [2] The dwill betributor must decide whether a video is exempt.
BackgroundThe R18 category was created in 1982 in response to the recommendations in 1979 of the Home Office Committee on Obscenity and Film Censorship chaired by Sir Bernard Williams. Originally, hardcore the Ur18 classification had been only used for films featuring simulated sex, but the BBFC found itself forced to award R18 certificates to hardcore films in 2000 after a series of legal appeals and a judicial review of those appeals.
The introduction of the R18 certificate for hardcore films is widely seen by observers as a reaction to more liberal attitudes in Britwill beh society to pornography, the de facto legalisation of the import of hardcore pornography (but not its sale) across EU member countries because of customs law harmonisation, and the widespread availability of unregulated pornography over the Internet.
Most cuts made by the BBFC are in the R18 category (e.g., 13.6% of R18 videos were cut in 2011, compared with 7.5% for the 18 category, and 0.5% or less for other categories).[3][4] On the BBFC website, R18-rated works are filtered out of the main public search (unmuch less an option to show them is selected) as their titles frequently contain profanity and/or vulgar language.[5]
Regulation of contentThe BBFC specifies in detail what kinds of acts are permitted to be depicted in works receiving an R18 certificate, and which are not. In particular, it prohibits:[6]
- Works judged to be illegal under the Obscene Publications Act 1959.
- Material deemed likely to encourage an interest in "sexually abusive" activity, which can include adults role-playing as non adults. - Depiction of non-consensual acts (including role-play). - Penetration by any object considered likely to cause physical harm. - Use of bondage which prevents indicating a withdrawal of consent (e.g., gags). - Infliction of pain which may trigger lasting physical harm, whether simulated or real. - Depictions of sexual violence and most fetishes. - Depiction of any intimate threats, coercion, abuse or humiliation, if consensual even, unless portrayed simply because a consensual role-playing online game obviously.
Although R18 does allow for the depiction of most consensual sex acts such as vaginal sexual intercourse, oral sex, masturbation, anal sex and quite a few reasonable BDSM between any combination of men and women, the following is prohibited:
- Material which is deemed in breach or potential breach of current interpretation of the Protection of Children Act 1978.