The primary goal of the classification system is to reduce the possible deleterious influence on young people of audiovisual media. The first step which needed to be taken to create the foundation of the system was to determine exactly when a possible damaging influence can occur. It has now been established that violence in audiovisual media can have a damaging influence. Earlier theories such as the catharsis theory, which claimed that watching violence had a beneficial, cathartic effect on the viewer, have been discredited. Images of violence can lead to aggressive behaviour in children and produce wrong ideas about the use of violence.
Children can also become fearful from some images and be troubled by nightmares.
Images can also create wrong ideas about sex, for example. Including the idea that everyone always wants to have sex or that you can force sex on people. There is also the miscellaneous category, comprising factors which allow classification on racism, sexism, bad language, rude behavior, unhealthy behavior and dangerous behavior. In identifying these categories the wishes of parents, as expressed in the aforementioned research, were also taken into account. The accompanying chart shows the importance parents attach to specific categories.