YouTube, Vevo videos receive age certificates amid concerns over shielding kids from explicit content

In a bid to shield children from unsuitable content, music videos on YouTube and Vevo are being tagged with age certificates.

According to The Independent, the move was part of a government-backed campaign following concerns over "explicit" videos by artists such as Rihanna and Miley Cyrus.

Among the videos that were deemed to require certification were Ellie Goulding's "Love Me Like You Do" from the soundtrack for Fifty Shades of Grey. It was rated 15 by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) for "strong sex references."

The ratings are given by the BBFC, with three major record labels, Sony, Universal and Warners, taking part.

After an age rating has been given, record labels pass on the guidance to Vevo and YouTube, who display it when the videos are broadcast from their sites.

The initial phase of the pilot scheme saw roughly 20 per cent of videos receiving 12, 15 or 18 certificate.