A content rating (also known as maturity rating) rates the suitability of
TV shows
A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platfo ...
,
movies
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, since ...
,
comic books
A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
, or
video games
A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
to this primary targeted audience.
A content rating usually places a media source into one of a number of different categories, to show which
age group
A demographic profile is a form of demographic analysis in which information is gathered about a group to better understand the group's composition or behaviors for the purpose of providing more relevant services.
In business, a demographic pro ...
is suitable to view media and entertainment. The individual categories include the stated age groups within the category, along with all ages greater than the ages of that category.__NOTOC__
See also
Film
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Motion picture content rating system
A motion picture content rating system classifies films based on their suitability for audiences due to their treatment of issues such as sex, violence, or substance abuse, their use of profanity, or other matters typically deemed unsuitable for ...
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MPA film rating system
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Canadian Home Video Rating System
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Maritime Film Classification Board
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British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is a non-governmental organization, non-governmental organisation founded by the British film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films exhibited ...
Television
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Television content rating system
Television content rating systems are systems for Content rating, evaluating the content and reporting the suitability of television programmes for Minor (law), minors. Many countries have their own television evaluation, rating system and coun ...
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Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...
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TV Parental Guidelines
The TV Parental Guidelines are a television content rating system in the United States that was first proposed on December 19, 1996, by the United States Congress, the American television industry, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ...
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United States pay television content advisory system
The United States pay television content advisory system is a television content rating system developed cooperatively by the American pay television industry; it first went into effect on March 1, 1994, on Cable television in the United States#Pr ...
Video games
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Video game content rating system
A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of video games based on suitability for target audiences. Most of these systems are associated with and/or sponsored by a government, and are sometimes part of the local m ...
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Entertainment Software Rating Board
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings to consumer video games in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The ESRB was established in 1994 by the Entertainment Soft ...
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Videogame Rating Council
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Pan European Game Information
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Computer Entertainment Rating Organization
The () is a Japanese entertainment rating organization based in Tokyo that rates video game content in console games with levels of ratings that inform the customer of the nature of the product and what age group it is suitable for. It was e ...
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On Protecting Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development (Russia)
Internet
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Content-control software
An Internet filter is software that restricts or controls the content an Internet user is capable to access, especially when utilized to restrict material delivered over the Internet via the Web, Email, or other means. Such restrictions can be appl ...
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Internet Content Rating Association
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Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection – RTA "Restricted to Adults" label
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Platform for Internet Content Selection
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Internet Watch Foundation – maintains a website denylist
Comics
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Comics Code Authority
The Comics Code Authority (CCA) was formed in 1954 by the Comics Magazine Association of America as an alternative to government regulation. The CCA enabled comic publishers to self-regulate the content of American comic book, comic books in the ...
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Marvel Rating System
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DC Comics rating system The DC Comics rating system is a system for rating the content of comic books used by DC Comics. In 2011, DC Comics withdrew from the Comics Code Authority and implemented an independent rating system. Rather than replicating the system used by Mar ...
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Viz Media Manga distribution rating system
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Tokyopop
Tokyopop (styled TOKYOPOP; formerly known as Mixx Entertainment) is an American distributor, licensor and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Western manga-style works. The German publishing division produces German translations of licens ...
American Manga rating system
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Image Comics
Image Comics is an independent American American comic book, comic book publisher and is the third largest direct market comic book and graphic novel publisher in the industry by market share. Its best-known publications include ''Spawn (comics) ...
rating system
Music
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RIAA's Parental Advisory
Legal means of content regulation and prohibition
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United States obscenity law
United States obscenity law deals with the regulation or suppression of what is considered obscenity and therefore not protected speech or expression under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. In the United States, discussion of ...
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Communications Decency Act
The Communications Decency Act of 1996 (CDA) was the United States Congress's first notable attempt to regulate pornographic material on the Internet. In the 1997 landmark case '' Reno v. ACLU'', the United States Supreme Court unanimously stru ...
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Miller test
The ''Miller'' test, also called the three-prong obscenity test, is the United States Supreme Court's test for determining whether speech or expression can be labeled obscene, in which case it is not protected by the First Amendment to the Unite ...
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Dost test
Various
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Thematic elements – for content that is not specifically covered by generic content rating systems (e.g., grief)
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Australian Classification Board
The Australian Classification Board (ACB or CB) is an Australian Government of Australia, government Statute, statutory body responsible for the classification and censorship of films, television programmes, video games and publications for ex ...
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Brazilian advisory rating system
The Brazilian Advisory Rating (, abbreviated ClassInd) is a content rating system in Brazil for the classification of movies, games and television programs. The ClassInd rating system is controlled by the Advisory Rating Coordination (''Coordena� ...
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Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (Germany)
References
{{standards-stub
Broad-concept articles
Minimum ages