Finnish Board of Film Classification

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The Finnish Board of Film Classification (Finnish : Valtion elokuvatarkastamo; Swedish : Statens filmgranskningsbyrå) was an official institution of the Finnish Ministry of Education. From 1946 until the end of year 2011, the VET/SFB was responsible for inspecting and rating the content of movies and video games. In the beginning of 2012, the VET/SFB was dissolved and its functions were transferred to the Finnish Centre for Media Education and Audiovisual Media (Finnish : Mediakasvatus- ja kuvaohjelmakeskus or MEKU; Swedish : Centralen för mediefostran och bildprogram), likewise operating under the Ministry of Education.

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Scope

Three censors at work in 1963: Erkki Nuorvala (to the left), Ola Wickstrom and Paavo Tuomari. Elokuvatark-1963.jpg
Three censors at work in 1963: Erkki Nuorvala (to the left), Ola Wickström and Paavo Tuomari.

Only material intended to be accessible to minors (those under 18 years of age) was subject to mandatory inspection before being released to the public. A proper notification was usually sufficient for adult material, but the board has the right to inspect any material suspected of violating laws or material. Until 2001, VET also inspected material intended for adult audiences and could prevent releasing it in Finland if the board deemed it exceedingly violent.

Distributors and producers could appeal against decisions of VET/SFB to the government-appointed Appeal Board. Since 2003, Finland has been a participant of the pan-European PEGI-system for rating interactive games.

Age ratings

The Finnish Board of Film Classification had a film classification system under which films were classified into one of the following categories:

A person at most two years younger (currently three years) than the given rating was permitted to see a film in a movie theater when accompanied by an adult, except for movies rated 18 which were (and still are) not allowed to anyone under 18 (even if accompanied with an adult)

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