Kenya films regulator issues ‘Squid Game’ alert

The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) has issued a parental advisory over the popular TV series Squid Game, saying its graphic and violent content makes it unsuitable for children viewing.

KFCB acting CEO Christopher Wambua said Monday that despite the childhood game references in the series, it’s not meant for viewing by children.

“Netflix has self-rated Squid Game 18+ with notes for suicide, violence and sex to advise viewers that are 18 and above that the content could be disturbing,’’ Mr Wambua said.

SOCIAL MEDIA

The series is being aired on the Netflix subscription platform but content posted on social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok & Instagram could easily be accessed by children.

“If parents give their children access to smartphones and online streaming platforms such as Netflix, they must take deliberate steps to monitor what their young ones, especially minors, are consuming in order to guide them accordingly and make use of the wide parental controls offered on the service,” Mr Wambua said.

‘’As a result, the risk of children now imitating or re-enacting scenes in the game from the series has become real. While seemingly innocent, this may lead to escalation of violence and other vices as depicted in the series, causing grave harm to the children, including death.”

ADULTS ONLY

Netflix has rated the series as 18 on account of the graphic and violent nature of the content. The 18 rating is typically assigned to programming that is meant for adults only.

Released in September 2021, the series has gained popularity with more than 100 million views across the globe.