80% of European parents say ageratings are important

Name: Nicam
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P arents in Europe consider it important to protect their children from harmful videos. Recent research among more than 6,000 parents in twelve European countries with children aged 3 to 17 shows that 80% place great importance on age ratings when choosing video content. Two out of three parents regularly or frequently use age ratings when selecting video content. A majority of parents also believe that the age recommendations are often accurate.

Published on: September 21 2026

Kijkwijzer meets the needs of European parents

Parents want clear information at the start of a programme, series or film, presented through on-screen information and/or pictograms. In addition, 60% of parents prefer a system that combines age ratings with information explaining why a particular age rating has been given – as Kijkwijzer does. This means Kijkwijzer closely aligns with the needs of European parents.

Kijkwijzer pictograms are widely recognised

As in the Netherlands, most parents in the countries surveyed recognise the Kijkwijzer pictograms. The pictograms for violence and smoking, drugs and alcohol are the most widely recognised.

The study was commissioned by NICAM and conducted by research agency GfK in Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Austria, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

Kijkwijzer information is used across Europe

Kijkwijzer is not only used and displayed in the Netherlands, but also in many other European countries. While Kijkwijzer is based on international scientific research into the potential harmful effects of media content, social norms, as well as the needs and preferences of parents and caregivers, also play an important role.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether parents consider ratings to be reliable, whether they are familiar with them, and whether they are used as a tool to protect their child(ren) from harmful images.

The findings of this study will help NICAM further develop Kijkwijzer and make it an even more effective tool for parents, both in the Netherlands and internationally.