Usefulness of consumer information across media

In the Digital Australians survey, the results of the quantitative survey supported the qualitative findings. As shown in Figure 22, when participants were asked to indicate how important they thought consumer information such as classifications and ratings were for broadcast television programs and content on the internet, between 35 and 48 per cent of those who had undertaken each activity in the past month saw this consumer information as at least ‘quite important’. Few said that they thought these were ‘not at all important’.

While there were few differences in the perceived importance of this consumer information across media, it was seen as being slightly more important for traditional television content (whether on free-to-air or subscription television) than for user-generated content on the internet, watching television/movies on the internet or online games.

Source: ACMA, Digital Australians online survey, 2011.
F1 ASK ALL: Broadcast television programs, and some content on the internet includes information such as classification, ratings or other information to help people decide whether content is suitable for them and their families. How important is it to you to have this type of information available for you personally to decide whether content is suitable for you. When you are…? S/R PER ITEM, SHOW ONLY THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT RESPONDENTS REPORT DOING, RANDOMISE
Base: Respondents who have undertaken each activity in the past month, n=323–816

Across all media, participants with children under 18 placed greater importance on classification and rating information than did other online adult Australians. The same question was asked of these participants with children under 18—but this time specifically in relation to content for their children. As shown in Figure 23, information about content was generally seen as being more important for children. Between 63 and 79 per cent of parents who themselves had used each medium in the past month indicated that they saw this information as very or quite important when deciding which content their children should view across different media.

 Source: ACMA, Digital Australians online survey, 2011.
F1 ASK ALL: Broadcast television programs, and some content on the internet includes information such as classification, ratings or other information to help people decide whether content is suitable for them and their families. How important is it to you to have this type of information available for you personally to decide whether content is suitable for you. When you are…? S/R PER ITEM, SHOW ONLY THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT RESPONDENTS REPORT DOING, RANDOMISE
Base: Respondents who have undertaken each activity in the past month, n=323—816

More about attitudes to, and expectations of, media regulation is contained in chapter 5 of Digital Australians.