Online Music and Videos to Get 'Explicit' Sticker in UK

That familiar logo will now appear in digital form on digital versions of explicit content.

BPI's Parental Advisory Scheme is to be extended online, with special 'stickers' to appear on music and videos containing adult content. The scheme, which has applied to physical media for years, will now apply to music and video files on websites such as Amazon and iTunes. Rrun by the British Phonographic Industry, the scheme may soon also extend to cover services like YouTube and Spotify. BPI told Wired.co.uk that it is "confident that they will come on board" in the new year. However, incorporating the logo could require alterations to their layouts.

BPI's Parental Advisory Scheme first came into play over a decade ago, in 1995. Speaking to the Telegraph, singer Jamelia said the scheme will help parents quickly determine what is appropriate for their children. 

"As a parent, naturally I worry about whether my kids are viewing and listening to appropriate content when they're online, but without some form of guidance it can be almost impossible to stay on top of what's suitable and what's not," she's quoted as saying. "I think parents would agree that having the same logo for online music services that we're used to seeing in the high street gives parents the ability to quickly and easily judge whether a song or music video is right for their child."

BPI told Wired UK that 18 services have signed up, but that it eventually hopes to have as many as 80 on board.

Further Reading

Wired UK

The Telegraph

Parental-Advisory.co.uk