BBFC History: 1990

• continuing strict standards for videos as scenes can be seen out of context and its easier for younger viewers to access- concerns over viewing of violent videos flared up with the Jamie Bulger case. this lead the Board requiring to look at a films potential harm
• at this time a flurry of violent drug filled films awaited classification - one of the most controversial being Natural Born Killers
• 1995 saw increased concern over protection of children in films like Kids which was seen as child pornography but contained 18+ actors
• lord Harewood resigned as President after 12 years. Andreas Whittaham Smith who replaced him wanted the BBFC to improve its openness and accountabilityby publishing its guidelines, introducing a website and gathering public opinions in roadshows
• as computer games developed, the BBFC had to classify realistic games with cruelty to humans or animals or sexual activity. this introduced a new style of examining films and lead to a non classification for Carmagedon as it "encouraged antisocial behaviour"  This which was later overturned as had parental lock settings
• Robin Duval replaced James Ferman as Director in 1999
• public opinion was shifting and other media forms like internet and satellite were developing alongside video and film. this lead to the reexamination of the Exorcists, which was unlikely to be harmful to the increasing sophistication of young viewers
• also saw removal of banning oriental weapons as were not very accessible, required training to use and were no longer the height of fashion
• the emphasis changed from this to focusing on the glamourisation of weapons such as knives - especially in younger categories