In 1932, audiences objected to the lack of warning when movies with content that was considered objectionable by almost all viewers were shown. This led to the establishment of the ᛏᚫᚲᚷᚱᚢᛈ ᚠᛟᚱ ᚡᛁᛚᛗᛒᛡᛟᚱᛞᛖᛚᛁᛜ (Tákgrup vór Filmbëórdéliñ - Movie Rating Committee) in 1934, with the sole task to rate movies on their objectionable potential. Since then, movie theaters are required to list all possibly objectionable content of the movies they show. Originally this was done with abbreviations, but as those turned out to be confusing, they were soon replaced by pictograms. Moviegoers are expected to make their own decision of whether or not to see the movie.
The ratings are:
rating | transliteration | translation | pictogram |
ᚫᛜᛋᛏ | añst | fear | spider |
ᚱᚢᛋᛗᛁᛞᛡᛚᚷᛡᛒᚱᛎᚲ | rusmidëlgëbrüc | drugs use | syringe |
ᚱᛖᚷᛏᛋᛏᚱᛖᚲᛋ | regtstrécs | live | TV camera |
ᚷᛟᚲᛡᚾ | gocën | gambling | dice and cards |
ᚷᛡᚹᛖᛚᛞ | gëweld | violence | fist and impact |
ᚷᛡᛚᛟᚠ | gëlóf | religion | cross and stars |
ᛋᚷᛖᛚᛞᛡᚾ | sceldën | offensive language | text balloon with ᛯᛤᛝ |
In the mid-60s, with the introduction of television, the committee was renamed to ᛏᚫᚲᚷᚱᚢᛈ ᚠᛟᚱ ᚠᛡᚱᛗᚫᚲᛋᚾᛇᚠᛡᚱᚺᛇᛞ (Tákgrup vór Vërmáksneyvërheyd - Entertainment Industry Committee) and rated theater and TV shows as well. Live TV shows, including newscasts, are required to have the word ᚱᛖᚷᛏᛋᛏᚱᛖᚲᛋ in one (or both) of the upper corners of the screen.
Since 2004, distributors are expected to rate their own products, and the committee only acts on complaints.