Protection on TV

Civil society organizations condemn Supreme Court case to end mandatory rating system

Civil society organizations condemn Supreme Court case to end mandatory rating system

Civil society organizations requested this Wednesday, December 10, a public hearing in the Supreme Court to question the lawsuit (Direct Action of Unconstitutionality No. 2404) to abolish the mandatory rating system for radio and television programming.

In a public statement, 75 organizations, among them Conectas, described as “unacceptable” the attempt to repeal the law that requires television stations and distributors of audiovisual products to assign a rating for each program.

The organizations claim that the lawsuit, filed by ABERT (Brazilian Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters), only serves the commercial interests of the broadcasting stations and does not consider the harm likely to be caused by programming aired at inappropriate times.

“This public policy aims to balance the right to freedom of expression and the duty of the protection of children and adolescents,” reads an excerpt from the statement.

The document also highlights that the current Brazilian rating system meets the international standards of freedom of expression as determined by the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

Click here to read the full public statement available on the website of Intervozes.