Question

Read the passage below and answer the following question.

As a parent, I find television and movie rating systems unhelpful. Ratings systems are not human. Their scores are based on numbers: how many bad words, how many gory scenes. To me, that makes no sense. Nobody else knows my kids like I do, so nobody else can say what's okay for them to watch.

In my experience, the content a government organization rates as PG or PG-13 may or may not be appropriate for my 9-, 14-, and 16-year-olds. My youngest is quite mature for his age, and I'm fine with him hearing a bad word or two as a part of a meaningful story.

Violence concerns me more. I won't let even my 16-year-old watch frivolous violence or horror. But I don't shelter him from realistic violence. My little guy still has to stay out of the room for the bloody stuff. But eventually, kids need to know what's out there.

The author of this passage would be likely to support an effort to:

a. create a government system to recommend ages for reading children's books.
b. prevent kids from attending movies in the theater without their parents; presence.
c. provide parents more information about the content of children's shows and movies.
d. "change the age for watching PG-13 movies down to 10 because today's kids are more savvy."

Answer 1

The debate on whether to lower the age for viewing PG-13 movies to 10 years old involves evaluating children's exposure to media, the purpose of movie ratings for parental guidance, and the balance between content regulation and personal freedoms.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question revolves around the idea of adjusting the movie rating system, specifically lowering the age for viewing PG-13 movies to 10 years old, with the argument that today's children are more savvy. This touches on the broader impacts of media on youth, the role of parental guidance, and societal norms on content consumption.

Since their introduction, movie ratings have served to advise audiences on the suitability of content. The PG-13 rating, added to the system in 1984, reflects concerns about content that may not be appropriate for younger children. The argument for lowering the viewing age proposes that children's increased exposure to and understanding of mature content through various media channels justify a reassessment of the age restrictions tied to this rating.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) ratings for video games serve a similar function, highlighting societal efforts to protect children from mature content. Historical legal actions, such as the challenge to California's law attempting to restrict video game sales to minors, underscore ongoing debates about the balance between protecting children and upholding freedom of speech. A multifaceted view considering the impact of violence in media on children is essential when debating changes to the established rating system.