Entertainment Ratings Guide
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


Ratings appear in ads for films, movie listings and at theaters.

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.  


Rating descriptions sometimes are published in newspaper listings or movie reviews; you also can find them at theaters and at www.mpaa.org. 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, in ads and on websites.

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


Resources

Motion Picture Association of America
Entertainment Software Rating Board
Internet Content Rating Association
American Amusement Machine Association
Recording Industry Association of America, Inc.
Federal Trade Commission
National Association of Attorneys General
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice
YWCA of the U.S.A.

July 2004