Kijkwijzer (translated as "viewing guide"), also known as Cinecheck in other languages, is a rating system in the Netherlands, developed and used by the Netherlands Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media.
Those are the ratings:
Suitable for all ages (full name in Dutch: alle leeftijden, which, in English, means all ages), containing no content that parents would find inappropriate for children under 6 years of age. This does not specifically mean a children's movie or programme. Equivalent to TV-Y or TV-G (TV) and G (movies). Examples: Mega Mindy & Het Zwarte Kristal (Studio100) and Tineke Schouten 25 Jaar (CNR)- Mogelijk schadelijk tot 6 jaar: Persons under 6 years must be accompanied by an adult. Replaced the older MG6 ("Meekijken Gewenst"), where parental guidance was recommended for viewers younger than 6 years. This does not specifically mean a children's movie or programme. Equivalent to TV-Y7(-FV) (TV) and soft PG (movies). Example: Kart Racer (DFW) and Adventure Time (Cartoon Network) Some of the seasons
- Mogelijk schadelijk tot 9 jaar: Persons under 9 years must be accompanied by an adult. Now a standard rating. First used for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban because of very frightening elements that were too strong for the 6 rating, but were not of enough intensity to warrant a 12 rating. Equivalent to soft TV-PG (TV) and hard PG (movies). Example: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros) and Adventure Time (Cartoon Network) Most of the seasons
- Mogelijk schadelijk tot 12 jaar: Persons under 12 years must be accompanied by an adult; broadcasting such material is not allowed before 20:00 (8:00 p.m.). Equivalent to hard TV-PG or soft TV-14 (TV) and soft PG-13 (movies). Example: Costa! (AFilm)
- Mogelijk schadelijk tot 14 jaar: Persons under 14 years must be accompanied by an adult; broadcasting such material is not allowed before 20:00 (8:00 p.m.). Equivalent to hard TV-14 (TV) and hard PG-13 (movies). Introduced in January 2020.
- Mogelijk schadelijk tot 16 jaar: Not accessible for children younger than 16 years; broadcasting such material is not allowed before 22:00 (10:00 p.m.), but in 2020 it was changed to 20:00 (8:00 p.m.). Equivalent to soft TV-MA (TV) and R (movies). NC-17 rated movies also are made into this classification. Examples: Brotherhood of the Wolf (AFilm), The Basic (Indies)
- Mogelijk schadelijk tot 18 jaar: Not accessible for children younger than 18 years; broadcasting such material is not allowed before midnight. Equivalent to hard TV-MA (TV) and NC-17 (movies). Introduced in January 2020. For example, The Painted Bird received this classification.
There are also other ratings:
- Not approved yet (Nog niet gekeurd): The rating to indicate that a production has not been rated yet. Mostly seen on cinema sites.
- AL/Tous: Same as the AL rating. It is used in Belgium. Tous is used in the Francophone part of Belgium, the equivalent of the former enfants admis (EA) rating.
Mostly, these icons are used along with other symbols, displaying if a movie contains any one of the following: violence, sexual content, frightening scenes, drug or alcohol abuse, discriminatory elements or coarse language.
Content descriptors[]
Similar to PEGI, Kijkwijzer uses content descriptors to describe content in the media.
| Icon | Content descriptor | Explanation | Current corresponding age ratings |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Violence (Geweld) | The production contains violence. In a 6 rated production, violence is soft, like slapstick, cartoon violence. In a 12 rated production, small injuries are shown and knocking someone out. 16 rated productions contain a lot of blood and torture. 18 rated productions contain extreme violence, such as sadistic violence or graphic sexual violence. The descriptor was formerly used with a 9 rating. | 6, (9), 12, 16, 18 |
|
Fear (Angst) | The production contains frightening elements. In a 6 rated production, it is not more than dangerous situations and unrealistic creatures (like monsters). In a 9 rated production, it's like a 6 rated production but more scary. Small injuries are shown. In a 12 rated production, injuries are shown, jumpscares and very frightened people in a dangerous situation. In a 14 rated production, it contains horror elements in a unrealistic setting. In a 16 rated production, horror is shown. | 6, 9, 12, 14, 16 |
|
Sex (Seks) | The production contains sexual content. In a 12 rated production, there may be sexually oriented language, sexualized nudity or moderate sexual activity. In a 14 rated production, sex may be depicted combined with drug use. In a 16 rated production, actual sex or realistically simulated sex may be shown. 18 ratings are used for pornography since 2020. | 12, 14, 16, 18 |
|
Coarse language (Grof taalgebruik) | Coarse language is used. It is the only category that does not decide the age rating. The reason for this is that coarse language can be harmful to anyone and it is hard to bond coarse language to an age. | AL, 6, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18 |
|
Alcohol, drugs and tobacco use (Drugs en alcoholmisbruik) | Alcohol, drugs and tobacco are used. In a 12 and 14 rated production, there is hard drug use or an overuse of alcohol, tobacco or soft drugs. When those things are admired, or no negative sides are shown, it will result in a 16 rating. | 12, 14, 16 |
|
Discrimination (Discriminatie) | The production contains discrimination, for example on the basis of race, religion, sexual preference, sex or nationality. | 12 |
|
Dangerous challenges or stunts (Gevaarlijke challenges of stunts) | Exclusively used for videos on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok to warn viewers if there are depictions of people doing stunts or challenges that are dangerous if copied. Introduced in 2020. | N/A |
Legal enforcement of the Kijkwijzer system[]
The Kijkwijzer system alone bears advisory powers only, but laws allow the legal enforcement of them. Although in use in several countries, the Netherlands is the only country to legally enforce Kijkwijzer ratings. Specifically, legal restrictions apply to all films that have been given a "16" age rating by the Kijkwijzer system. According to Wetboek van Strafrecht art. 240A, it is forbidden to admit such a person to a screening, or rent out, sell, or give the movie (DVD, video, computer file, etc.) to a minor who is below the age of 16 years; individuals or businesses in breach of the law are subject to a prison sentence of up to one year and/or a fine of the fourth category (specifically €22,500).
Kijkwijzer 18-rated features are also subject to a legal age restriction of 16 years.
Admission policy for cinemas[]
As of 22 August 2012, the admission policy for cinemas in the Netherlands is as follows:
- For Kijkwijzer 6, 9, 12, and 14 rated films: persons underage may be admitted only if accompanied by an adult.
- For Kijkwijzer 16 and 18 rated films: no persons underage may be admitted under any circumstance in accordance of article 240A of the Wetboek van Strafrecht. Persons must give proof of their age prior to admission.
Use of the Kijkwijzer system in other countries[]
The Kijkwijzer system has also been authorised for use in Belgium, Iceland and Slovenia.
In Belgium, Kijkwijzer replaced the older KT/EA (Kinderen toegelaten/enfants admis), KNT/ENA (Kinderen niet toegelaten/enfants non admis) and the newer KT/EA 12 (Kinderen toegelaten vanaf 12/enfants admis depuis 12) labels. The major difference with the Dutch Kijkwijzer is that all age ratings are advisoried, so a 9 year old could be admitted at an 18 rated movie.
In Iceland, an 18 rating was added even before the Dutch Kijkwijzer had this. Also, in Iceland FRISK controls the ratings, while in the Netherlands NICAM does this. The content descriptors look different too, similar to PEGI's content descriptors.
In Slovenia, there are different ratings: PG, 12, 15, 18, 18+ and 18++. The 18+ rating is for explicit sexual activity and the 18++ rating is for very explicit violence and for pornography. Also, a content descriptor for dangerous activity was added.
Trivia[]
- Prior to the revamping of the rating system in January 2020, it had no true "adult" rating; the highest rating was 16, and the age one is considered an adult (age of majority) in the country is 18. This means that even pornography prior to 2020 is released with a 16 rating (and on one occasion with the Bible Black series a 12 rating). However, actors/models in pornography still have to be 18 to participate, the legal age for acting and modeling in pornography in the Netherlands was raised from 16 to 18 in October 2002.
- The 18+ age restriction for cinema admission was abandoned around the late 1970s after many film censorship laws in the Netherlands were repealed. Movies such as Deep Throat and Last Tango in Paris were originally given an 18 rating before its abandonment.
- Kijkwijzer is tame with coarse language alone. Using it alone can only result in a film being passed AL (which would mean all ages admitted). While the descriptors for sex, discrimination and drug/alcohol abuse, if used, are always resulting in a classification of 12 or higher.
- The rating system's name can mean two things: "watching indicator" and "watch wiser". This was done intentionally, as shown by the explanation video on the English version of the website and the Flemish explanation video.
- If one roughly translates the word Kijkwijzer, it would mean view pointer in English.
- Nudity in a non-sexual context isn't a deciding factor according to Kijkwijzer since there is no evidence that nudity is obscene or harmful to youth.
Rating images[]
Content descriptor images[]
