Classification Board’s new website reveals long list of banned titles
May 17, 2009 – 8:15 pmThe new website for the Australian Classification Board reveals a comprehensive list of content that is Refused Classification (RC) in Australia.
Although this information has been available to the public in the past (unlike the contents of the ACMA blacklist of banned websites), to the best of my knowledge the grouping of this data has not been so easily accessible.
Screenshot of the Classification Board Database, Sunday May 17 2009
Using the the classification database search engine, visitor’s are able to display a list of banned films, books, magazines, publications and games dating back to 1972 with a few clicks. Click here to see a list of titles dating back to 1972 and here for a list containing more recent titles (some listings are duplicated in both lists).
The list also reveals the titles of content sent to the board for review by ACMA and Australian law enforcement agencies. In most cases specific details like URLs are not attached to these listings, but details of police operation names, exhibit and job numbers, and some file names are included. However, some URLs attached to CD-ROM submissions are included.
Because the list maxes out at 1000 listings, at this stage I cannot verify whether the list is complete.
Breakdown of lists:
- Banned Games
- Banned Films (includes ABA, ACMA & law enforcement submissions)
- Banned Publications
10 Responses to “Classification Board’s new website reveals long list of banned titles”
The website looks good, but again there is no link to PDFs telling you why the Classification Board rated the game RC, or there is no text explaining why. So if people want to know why that it is banned, they are still expected to write to the board, asking for an explanation.
The BBFC, Britain’s Classification Agency, does this, and this puts the Classification Board to shame.
By Glenn on May 18, 2009
That info was searchable the same way on the old website. The only thing that’s really changed is the stylesheet and it’s slightly easier to manipulate the URL to search fields that weren’t previously searchable.
As before, it is an excruciating list to go through because it is flooded with items that the authorities have had classified specifically to facilitate a prosecution – EG when they have come across previously unclassified porn material being brought into the country (particularly besitality etc).
By Gman on May 19, 2009
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.oflc.gov.au
By Gman on May 19, 2009
+1 on the lack of information comment
By Gman on May 19, 2009
Not to forget that if you are really keen on ensuring that everything RC is listed you can restrict the date range of the search. Unless more than 1000 items were refused classification on a a single day, you can check that the list is complete (the UI only lets you pick month and year, but the URL contains day as well).
You do have to wonder whether some of it is test data that has slipped out into the WWW – do a search for “test” or “Boss”…
Is there really a movie called “BOSS TEST 122222222″ from Angola with the consumer advice “Faceplate”?
“Go Boss Go” is the only movie I’ve ever come across with the consumer advice “Fix Me!”, although it arguably seems odd that an RC film would need consumer advice.
By Gman on May 19, 2009
Hey guys i had a look at the RC games database and nercovision is still RC i opened my steam client this morning and its being sold for 10% off WTF, Steam is also region locked.
By Jarrod on May 21, 2009
Jarrod: “WTF, Steam is also region locked.”
Yes, this is the downside of using Steam. It would be best if you download NecroVision via BitTorrent.
By Glenn on May 21, 2009
What i’m saying Glenn is despite the fact Steam is region locked and knows my account is an Australian one i can still add Necrosvision to my cart and possibly even fully purchase; Steam is bending the rules a bit and good on ‘em
By Jarrod on May 21, 2009
I just looked at the “publications” list and noticed something hilarious:
“Ninja Death Touch” is RC.
Ninja. Death. Touch. The name just leapt out of the sea of porn.
By Anonymous Visitor on May 21, 2009
http://www.gamepolitics.com/2009/05/22/edited-necrovision-clears-aussie-censors#comments
Necrovision has been edited and passed with an MA15+ Rating
By Jarrod on May 23, 2009