The Ratings System and the Slippery Slope

The notion that the MPAA ratings system has become more relaxed over the last few years is not a particularly new one. However, more recent studies have indicated that this is in fact the case. Movies that have been released in the last few years under the PG and PG-13 label have more adult-related content (sex, drugs, violence, etc.) than their counterparts of yesteryear.

That being said, the ratings system has always been a tricky concept. After all, there are many factors that make a movie appropriate for children, or the opposite. The idea that a single rating can give enough information about a movie has made more cautious parents suspicious for years. As a result, some online review services, such as Screen It (www.screenit.com) will list exactly how many instances of drug use, violence, and so forth are present in a movie. Further, these reviews are not couched in such loose terms as "heavy drug use" and "rampant profanity", but rather each instance is listed and relevant details are given. Not only that, but tense moments (referred to as "jump scenes"), bad attitudes, scary or inappropriate music, and adult-related themes such as rape and infidelity are also addressed. This gives parents the option of finding out exactly what they are letting their children see instead of trusting elusive terms such as "Parental Guidance Suggested".