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Officials in the media sector

The Consumer Agency monitors the compliance by advertising with the law

The Consumer Agency oversees advertising directed at children. If you come across advertising that you consider unsuitable for children, you can lodge a complaint with the Consumer Agency. The law on consumer protection defines when advertising is against good practice. Advertising directed specifically or in general at children and young people is considered to be against good practice in particular if it exploits the inexperience or gullibility of underage people, if it has a harmful effect on the balanced development of children and young people or if it attempts to sideline parents' possibilities to act in a balanced manner as the educators of their children. In assessing the violation of good practices attention is paid to the age and maturity of the children and young people being targeted by advertising, and to other circumstances.


The Advertising Ethics Council issues statements on advertising

Complaints about inappropriate advertising directed at children can also be made to the Advertising Ethics Council of the Finnish Consumer's Association. The Advertising Ethics Council is not, however, an official authority, but a self-regulatory body in its sector. The council issues statements on whether advertising is in line with good practice. Its statements are based on the advertising regulations of the International Chamber of Commerce and the council's own principles. The council does not take positions on the illegality of advertising, which is the task of the Consumer Agency. The council's activities answer to the Central Chamber of Commerce and the Advertising Advisory Board.


Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority monitors TV companies

Television programmes and TV companies are supervised by the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority. The authority is able to lodge complaints about programmes that it considers to be broadcast on television for children at inappropriate times or which have inappropriate contents for children of a certain age and maturity. The authority investigates the activity of TV companies on the basis of complaints and carries out periodic surveys of parents on the use of the ‘K' rating, which means that programmes are at a broadcast time suitable for children. For instance, programmes that are unsuitable for children under 15  may not be broadcast before 21.00.

By law, broadcasters must ensure that TV programmes, which because of their violent, sexual or horrific content, or for comparable reasons are harmful to children's development, are broadcast at times when children do not usually watch TV.


Finnish Board of Film Classification supervises film distribution and games

One of the duties of the Board of Film Classification is to protect children from the harmful effects on children of pictorial programmes (films and games). The board views all pictorial programmes intended for distribution for under 18-year olds. Games are not previewed, but the board does supervise their age restrictions. The ‘K' ratings used by the board are compulsory. It is an offence to sell pictorial programmes with the K-18, K-15, K-13, K-11 and K-7 ratings to children younger than the specified age limit,

The Board of Film Classification cooperates with the police on the distribution of films in so-called post-inspections. Problems with distribution by cinemas, flea markets, film rental outlets or retail can be reported to the board. Games classified by the board may not be shown in public places unless they carry no age restriction.

  • Further information on the supervision of age limits for films and games (www.vet.fi)