We might have taken a different view if there was evidence that the effects were affecting more than a small minority of children or were devastating if this did happen. The committee also thought the BBFC was precipitate in introducing new regulations without adequate consultation or adequate warning to the industry . That followed a decision by the board to loosen restrictions during part of 1997, but then to reinstate them. In a statement, the BBFC said the decision had serious implications for its guidelines. And it pointed to the different attitudes about obscenity.
Nothing is absolutely inevitable from the findings.
One of the likelihoods is that we might find that it's appropriate to give R18 certificates to this material . As a result, the BBFC's Director commented that possibly its guidelines would have to be rewritten. Surely it is the guidelines of the VAC, and perhaps its membership too, that should be changed. For its policy is not to worry about the harm- ful effects of widening the spread of pornography amongst even a small minority of children, but rather to pander to the depraved wishes of some adults. That is clearly a misguided and harmful policy which should not be condoned.