Should books have PG labels

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19395813

Personally I think not

I agree with the suggestions that children self-regulate what they read through interest/understanding

I was reading James Herbert and other horror in my early teens even though I was too young to see the films

I remember the first book I read with any sex in it ... I was about 13 and I read The Group ... it was in the school library

I have not bothered with 50 shades myself as the reviews say it is so badly written

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Reply 1

Nephilim

Well, classifications exist so that parents know what is suitable. I don't think it should be exactly like the PEGI system. Hell, even music has "parental advisory" labels on the covers. Children are not stupid; they understand a lot of what they read. There does need to be some sort of classification system.

Reply 2

holycricket

Honestly, it doesn't make sense to police the sale of fiction when it is so readily available online. Then again, you could say the same about films because any computer-able child/teenager can find erotic film online, so why bother stopping them from going into movies? Personally, I think there should be some sort of rules on selling books - it's pretty disgusting to think that a 12 year old has access to 50 shades, no matter how badly written it is - though perhaps there should not be an "18+" limit. If somebody is old enough to be having sex, they should be able to read it. Limiting horror is a little more difficult - what qualifies as too scary for a kid? It might be easier for books with extreme language/sex scenes/horror to have age ranges printed on the cover, and then it is up to the bookseller as to whether they choose to sell it to those below that age.

The first sex scene I ever read was in the Noughts and Crosses series by Malorie Blackman, and I must have been 11? It was a complete accident, my friend unknowingly bought it for me as a birthday present. We read the scene in the playground and thought it was hilarious.

Reply 3

Piko_Piko

The thing about books is, if it's too scary or disturbing, you can just put it down. A scary scene won't be burned into your memory like actually seeing something might.
I remember as a child of about 7, and an avid reader, picking up a book of my mothers, which had a sex scene in. There was a word I didn't understand, and so I asked my friend next door what it meant. She didn't know, so we looked it up in the dictionary. We went "Urrrrgggghhhh!!" and I left the book alone after that. Don't think it warped or scared me in any way, it's quite funny thinking back.

Reply 4

Tiger Rag

I don't think it'll change anything. In the sense that the parent may still allow their 12 year old to read an 18 rated book.

Reply 5

TenOfThem

Original post by Piko_Piko

The thing about books is, if it's too scary or disturbing, you can just put it down. A scary scene won't be burned into your memory like actually seeing something might.

Agreed

Reply 6

Revilo1

Surely it would be easiest to just do what is done with CDs - have an explicit content warning, and perhaps a system of showing how explicit it is, and nothing more. I agree it won't scar children for life, but I also agree with the point that it could distort their views on certain things.

Reply 7

Lovefoxxx_93

Books have been regulated like that. In New Zealand, I believe, American Psycho was wrapped up and only sold to over 18s. Can't think of any UK examples though.

Reply 8

james22

Why not just have a label saying what is in the book (horror/voilence/sex/ect) just as guidance for parents buying books for younger children.

Reply 9

gethsemane342

Some books do, kind of. I've seen books with "Not suitable for younger children" on the back (The CHERUB series springs to mind) or some kind of age audience. Manga books have a rating system on them as well.

Reply 10

unclej

I'd encourage less censorship

Reply 11

Doskey

Original post by gethsemane342

Cherub came to my mind too! I don't think they used to have the warnings but I think they had to on 'The Fall' due to the content and then just decided to put them on all of them as a guidence thing. I remember my dad buying me 'Class A' when I was 11 becuause he thought I was mature enough to read it, I think there shouldn't be concrete ratings just a thing to let you know what is expected. Now it's made me want to read them all again, I haven't in years :smile:

Reply 12

Jakeul200493

There should be some form of classification system. I went in Asda before all the hype about it, and 50 Shades was being sold RIGHT next to the Children's section. With no warnings on at all, all it said was "Come and read the books the world is talking about". And it had stuff about it being about a bloke who has a "dark secret" and stuff on the blurb.

My friend made a valid point saying many people will probably have accidentally bought that book for little girls thinking it was a twilight-esque vampire book. So yeah, they should definitely have ratings on! Even if it is just a "Parental Advisory" sticker like on music.

Reply 13

A.J10

Original post by holycricket

I would argue that the bad writing is more of a reason to prevent kids from reading it than the sex.

Original post by Jakeul200493

My friend made a valid point saying many people will probably have accidentally bought that book for little girls thinking it was a twilight-esque vampire book. So yeah, they should definitely have ratings on! Even if it is just a "Parental Advisory" sticker like on music.

It was originally a fanfiction based on twilight, they just changed all the names around to avoid copyright apparently, which explains the twilighty-ness.

I reckon there should be a label or sticker on the back that says "book contains..." but not an age rating. As someon has already mentioned, books are a lot easier to put down and forget than a film. Age ratings are not a good idea though, as a large part of books is how the reader imagines it.

Of course, these labels need only apply to books aimed at children, and I reckon it should be a voluntary thing for publishers or bookshops instead of a legal requirement.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 14

TenOfThem

Original post by Jakeul200493

But was the twilight series appropriate for "little girls"

Reply 15

TenOfThem

Original post by A.J10

Of course, these labels need only apply to books aimed at children, and I reckon it should be a voluntary thing for publishers or bookshops instead of a legal requirement.

I certainly do not think there should be a legal requirement ... perhaps as you suggest something voluntary

But, surely, the style of the cover and the blurb on the back should be enough to indicate the content

Reply 16

kanojyoxx

I agree that they should have an explicit content label on them, such as CDs.

Reply 17

TenOfThem

Original post by kanojyoxx

I agree that they should have an explicit content label on them, such as CDs.

What would define "explicit" content though

I am never really sure about CDs tbh ... bad language? sexual content? violence?

So then how would that apply to books

Would anything with a murder in count
What about witchcraft or similar
Vampires
Any sex

Reply 18

A.J10

Original post by TenOfThem

Not to mention that in books a lot of the sex is implicit rather than explicit. You know, a character makes an innuendo or somesuch and then scene change to a different characters perspective or something.

Look at game of thrones as an example, there's both explicit and implicit. Implicit being:

Spoiler

Both the above were made explicit in the TV adaptation.

Reply 19

Snagprophet

The thing with books is that children's books are easily identified. They even gave Harry Potter books a darker cover to make it appeal to more adults. I don't think it needs book ratings. The thing with books is that they're not visual. Films are. If a kid reads about violence and dying they tend to picture a less graphic image.