Media Ratings Systems

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.

Movies

G	PG	PG-13	R	NC-17
General audience	Parental Guidance Suggested	Parents Strongly Cautioned	Restricted	No one 17 and under admitted.
All ages admitted.	Some material may not be suitable for children.	Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.	Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Video Games

EC	E	T	M	AO
Early Childhood	Everyone	Teen	Mature	Adults Only
Content suitable for children age 3 and older.	Content suitable for those 6 and older; game may contain minimal violence, some comic mischief or some mild language.	Content suitable for those 13 and older. Game may contain violent content, mild or strong language and suggestive themes.	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.	Content suitable only for adults. 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 and at www.esrb.org. Some descriptions you might see are:

Animated Blood
Blood
Blood and Gore
Cartoon Violence
Comic Mischief
Fantasy Violence
Intense Violence
Mild Violence
Sexual Violence
Violence

Coin Operated Video Games

A color-coded "traffic light" system advises players whether games have strong or mild violence, language or sexual content.

Green Yellow Red

Suitable for all ages. Animated Violence
Mild Life Like Violence
Mild Animated Violence
Strong Life Like Violence
Strong

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. 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. Scenes of strong violence involving cartoon-like characters, which result in bloodshed, serious injury or death to characters. 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.

Internet

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 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

None or sports related Injury to human being Destruction of realistic objects Aggressive violence or death to humans Rape or wanton, gratuitous violence