January 23, 2026, 6:15 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Anyone who buys a DVD or Blu-ray today will be familiar with the fact that before you can even start the movie or series, you have to read the FSK information. But why is that?
Finally, it’s in the letterbox, the DVD or Blu-ray, with the eagerly awaited movie or series that no streaming provider has. You insert the disc into the player, ready to watch—but that’s just in theory. This is because before the feature begins, you’re briefly interrupted by a mandatory notice. Initially, a notice from the FSK (Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft OR Voluntary Self-Regulation of the Movie Industry) appears on the screen. And it’s still unskippable.
FSK Notice Mandatory for DVDs and Blu-Rays
“By applying to the FSK for the age rating of cinematic content, applicants undertake to insert this non-skippable age notice before the main film when exploiting a film on a picture carrier,” Michael Schmidt tells TECHBOOK. Schmidt is the permanent representative of the highest state youth authorities at the FSK and points out that “an FSK label is not merely an educational recommendation.” Rather, this label should ensure “that the physical, mental, or emotional well-being of children and young people of a certain age group is not impaired. The FSK age ratings established in the public domain are therefore to be understood as a legal standard of protection to ensure a safe media environment free of impairment for children and young people.”
The expert emphasizes that the FSK ratings are based on § 12 and § 14 of the German Youth Protection Act. “These legally binding labels are issued by the FSK on behalf of the supreme state youth authorities.” The basis for the insertion before the main film in picture carriers with FSK markings is an agreement between the supreme state youth authorities and the umbrella organization of the film industry (SPIO; editor’s note). Schmidt commented: “The insert points out the legally binding nature and the significance of the FSK mark in terms of content.”
“This agreement was published in Article 4 (3) of the ‘Announcement of the agreement on the release and labeling of films and image carriers programmed with films in accordance with Section 14 (6) of the Youth Protection Act of January 30, 2023’,” says Schmidt.
FSK Overlay Cannot Be Skipped in the Future Either
You can’t simply skip the FSK notice to start enjoying the film or series more quickly. But why not? After all, the disc is already in the viewer’s possession. Any age verification has clearly already been completed or bypassed in some manner. Thus, the ability to skip the overlay would seem like an obvious feature. Despite the logic of this idea, the status quo will remain unchanged in the future.
Of course, Schmidt also knows that in practice, legislators have no way of checking whether the age of the viewer matches the age rating. “In the private sphere, parental privilege always applies. It is therefore the parents’ responsibility to decide which films are suitable for their child and whether an FSK age rating can be undercut,” he confirms. At home, there’s no admission control like what you’d find at a movie theater.
Nevertheless, the relevance of the age rating remains non-negotiable for Schmidt. The FSK committees consistently comprise individuals with professional expertise in youth welfare, education, pediatrics, or psychology, who are also parents. “And these examiners always try to assess the potential impact of each film with great care,” is the final promise of the permanent representative of the highest state youth authorities at the FSK.