Mr Richard Pope
Via email: [FOI #390 email]
19 May 2008
Dear Mr Pope
RFI20080521 - Freedom of Information request Thank you for your email of 16 May requesting:
1) a copy of the BBC's profanity list which rates the degree of offense (sic)
of swear words and
derogatory terms and is used to inform the BBC's editorial decisions. 2) the list of words banned
from the BBC's online communities and forums.
The reference number for your request is RFI20080521.
The BBC has established “House Rules” to enable visitors to the bbc.co.uk message boards to get
the most out of their visits. The link to the House Rules web page is:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/messageboards/newguide/house_rules.shtml
Further information regarding the use of language can be found in the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines
at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines/edguide/harm/language.shtml; and
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines/advice/offensivelanguage/index.shtml
and in the BBC’s Online Services Guidelines at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines/onguide/harm/offensivelangua.shtml
We hope you find this helpful.
Please note that the information you requested is not covered by the Freedom of Information Act
2000 (“the Act”). However, on this occasion we are happy to respond to your request.
Your request falls outside the scope of the Act because the BBC and the other public service
broadcasters are covered by the Act only in respect of information held for purposes “other than
those of journalism, art or literature” (see Schedule I, Part VI of the Act). We are not therefore
obliged to supply information held for the purposes of creating the BBC’s output or information
that supports and is closely associated with these creative activities. Information which is not
subject to disclosure under the Act because of Schedule I might otherwise be exempt from
disclosure because of the application of other provisions of the Act.
For more information about how the Act applies to the BBC please see
www.bbc.co.uk/foi Please
note that this guidance is not intended to be a comprehensive legal interpretation of how the Act
applies to the BBC.
The BBC makes a huge range of information available about our programmes and content on
bbc.co.uk. We also proactively publish information covered by the Act on our publication scheme
and regularly handle requests for information under the Act.
The BBC does not offer an internal review when the information requested is not covered by the
Act. If you disagree with our decision you can appeal to the Information Commissioner. Contact
details are: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire,
SK9 5AF telephone 01625 545 700.
http://www.ico.gov.uk
Yours sincerely,
Fern Kersey
Adviser, Information Policy & Compliance
