Organisation

NICAM's goal is to provide all audiovisual content with age ratings and content information so that children are not confronted with harmful images.

This mission can be found in our statutes (in Dutch) and is implemented by means of unique classification systems that are visible everywhere, every day: Kijkwijzer, PEGI and You Rate It.

Organisation

The organisation consists of a board, committees, management, a secretary and two teams, one for Kijkwijzer and one for PEGI. NICAM unites the Dutch audiovisual sectors in one system. This is unique to the world and the European Committee considers NICAM to be best practice.

International

The Kijkwijzer system is also used under license by Turkey, Iceland, Slovenia and Belgium.

NICAM's principles are:

1. that creators and providers classify their own content and that the criteria are uniform
2. that the sector takes responsibility for itself
3. that parents and children are informed by product information in the shape of age ratings and content pictograms

Since its start in 2001, NICAM has proved that, through Kijkwijzer, it can offer a well-functioning system that protects children from potentially harmful audiovisual images. It has taken up a strong position in society as a trustworthy tool for parents to use in the media-education of their children. Recent research among parents with children confirms this: 94% knows Kijkwijzer and finds its recommendations to be trustworthy. A large number of parents actually takes Kijkwijzer's information into account. NICAM plays an important role, then, and plays it well.

More than 3000 media companies have joined NICAM, either directly or through their respective sector organisations. Through their affiliation with NICAM, they are taking responsibility for the safe use of media by children. They have made commitments that are respected by all media. They classify their own productions using the uniform criteria that are set and monitored by NICAM. The classification of audiovisual productions is done by coders who work at the affiliated companies and organisations, and who are trained by NICAM. The coders use a classification system that was developed by independent scientists.

NICAM takes responsibility for the process and the quality of the classification system. However, NICAM also has an important external goal, namely the effective education of media consumers at whom the classifications are aimed. This effectiveness is monitored by NICAM, as are trends and technological developments in the media landscape. NICAM also promotes the adherence to age restrictions in sales and rentals of audiovisual productions.