Guide to Entertainment Ratings
|
Source: Federal Trade Commission
|
|
 |
Movies
Ratings appear in ads for films, movie listings
and at theaters.
G - General Audience - All ages admitted.
PG - Parental Guidance Suggested - Some material
may not be suitable for children.
PG-13 - Parents Strongly Cautioned - Some material
may be inappropriate for children under 13.
R - Restricted - Under 17 requires accompanying
parent or adult guardian.
NC-17 - No one 17 and under admitted.
|
Rating descriptions sometimes are published
in newspaper listings or movie reviews; you also can
find them at theaters and on the web. Some descriptions
you might see are:
Rated PG for mild language and violence.
Rated PG-13 for mature themes and a scene
of violence.
Rated PG-13 for violence, including bloody
aftermath of a shooting.
Rated R for language and strong bloody
violence.
Rated R for strong graphic horror, violence
and gore, and for language.
|
|
|
Video Games
Age-based ratings are on the front of video game packages
and in ads.
EC - Early childhood - Content suitable for children age 3
and older.
E - Everyone - Content suitable for children 6 and older;
Game may contain minimal violence, some comic mischief or some
crude language.
T - Teen - Content suitable for those 13 and older. Game may
contain violent content, mild or strong language and suggestive
themes.
M - Mature - Content suitable for those 17 and older. Game
may include more intense violence or language than products
rated T and may include mature sexual themes.
AO - Adults Only - Content suitable for adults only. Game
may include graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. Products
rated AO are not intended to be sold or rented to anyone under
the age of 18.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board assigns content descriptions
to video games. You will find these on the back of video game
packages. Some descriptions you might see are:
- Mild Animated Violence
- Animated Blood
- Mild Realistic Violence
- Realistic Blood
- Animated Violence
- Animated Blood and Gore
- Realistic Violence
- Realistic Blood and Gore
Games on the Internet
The Entertainment Software Rating Board Interactive (ESRBI)
provides age-based ratings for interactive web sites. These
ratings appear on a site's homepage if the entire site is rated;
on the first page of the rated section if that is the only
section that is rated; or where a game is accessed if that
is the only part of a site that is rated. The ESRBI ratings
are:
 ECI
- Early Childhood Interactive - Content suitable for children
age 3 and older.
EI - Everyone Interactive - Content suitable for children
6 and older.
TI - Teen Interactive - Content suitable for ages 13 and older.
MI - Mature Interactive - Content suitable for ages 17 and
older.
AOI - Adults Only Interactive - Content suitable for adults
only.
The ESRBI provides content descriptors for online games and
interactive sites that signal violence, nudity, sexual themes,
strong language and the use of alcohol, drugs or tobacco. Some
descriptions you might see are:
- Mild Violence
- Violence
- Graphic Violence
- Strong Hate Speech
- Weapon Making
- Suicide
Coin Operated Video Games
A color-coded "traffic light" system advises players
whether games have strong or mild violence, language or sexual
content.
Green - Suitable for all ages.
Yellow - Animated Violence - Mild Scenes
of violence involving cartoon-like characters in combative
activity with violent elements that do not result in bloodshed,
serious injury or death to characters. Life Like Violence -
Mild Scenes of violence involving human-like characters in
combative activity with violent elements that do not result
in bloodshed, serious injury or death to characters.
Red - Animated Violence - Strong Scenes of
strong violence involving cartoon-like characters, which result
in bloodshed, serious injury or death to characters.
Life Like Violence - Strong Scenes of strong violence involving human-like
characters, which result in bloodshed, serious injury or death to characters.
Music
Some compact discs or cassettes have labels
that say "Parental Advisory - Explicit Content."
These labels indicate that the recording may
contain strong language or expressions of violence, sex or
substance abuse. Individual record companies provide these
labels voluntarily. If you have questions, ask about the lyrics.
Media ratings systems are a starting point for
children and parents one resource for information to help protect
children from violence in movies, games and music.
A word to parents about restricting access:
The Internet Content Rating Association has a content advisory
system that indicates violence, nudity, sex or offensive language
on Internet sites. The system, RSAC on the Internet (RSACi),
allows the use of blocking software or browsers to restrict
access to sites it has rated. RSACi ratings related to violence
include:
Level 0 - None or sports related
Level 1 - Injury to human being
Level 2 - Destruction of realistic objects
Level 3 - Aggressive violence or death to humans
Level 4 - Rape or wanton, gratuitous violence
About MINES & Associates
For over 25 years MINES & Associates has
been a nationally recognized business psychology firm that
provides a variety of services to corporate employers including
employee assistance programs (EAP), managed mental healthcare,
organizational development and psychology services, wellness
programs, behavioral risk management, disease management, PPO
services, and a number of other technology based services.
MINES & Associates is divided into two main divisions,
Organizational Psychology and Health Psychology, and currently
serves a diverse portfolio of clients in all 50 states, Canada,
Mexico, and the UK.
Please log on to http://www.minesandassociates.com for
the latest news and information on MINES & Associates.
Click
here for back issues.
|
Newsletters
