Media influence can be big on children, teens and adults. It seems everything is rated in this day and age. Music, movies and television all contain rating systems to help guide parents as to what is appropriate for their family. It is important to understand these rating systems. Let’s look at the movie system.
The rating system was established to protect children from inappropriate content. The rating “G” means suitable for general audiences, meaning suitable for almost every age. The rating “PG” stands for Parental Guidance Suggested, meaning use caution and should probably be watched with a parent. The newest rating “PG13” means probably not suitable for anyone under age 13 and should definitely have the guidance of a parent while viewing. The “R” rating is restricted; meaning no one under age 17 is admitted without an adult. The rating that seems to be used the least frequent is the “NC-17”, meaning no one under 17 admitted period, even with a parent.
If you are comfortable with letting the motion picture industry set the standard for you and your family, you can just go with the rating system. If you are unsure, there are some things you can do to insure that your family is protected from media influence. If the movie is questionable it should probably be viewed away from the family by the adults in the family. Then the decision can be made as to if it’s appropriate for the rest of the family. Keep in mind; movies that were rated “R” when you were growing up are probably getting the “PG-13” rating now.
There are many websites on the internet that review movies and go into great detail why they are rated the way they are. Some of these websites are very detailed, even counting the number of swear words in the movie.
Pay attention to the fine print next to the rating. The little box next to the rating explains exactly why it got the rating it got such as: nudity, teen drinking etc. This can also help to make an informed decision.
Do the research and be sure your family is only exposed to what you are comfortable with.