Can you trust TV and movie ratings? Frankly, probably not. Do you happen to know the actual difference between TV-MA and TV-14? Do you know what it takes for a series to be considered TV-MA? Or what’s the difference between PG-13 and PG? What type of content turns a PG-13 movie into a rated-R movie? Do you know what movies are rated PG?

According to the MPA (The Motion Picture Association), a PG-13 motion picture may exceed the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, adult activities, or other elements but does not reach the restricted R category. Clear as mud. Rated-R movies, in the view of the board, contain some adult material like adult themes, hard language, and nudity. They heed this warning on their site about Rated-R films, “Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.”

Let’s try and tackle PG. PG means “parental guidance” advised, which the general public typically assumes this movie would be suitable for viewers of all ages. The MPA film rating site states, “May contain some material parents might not like for their young children.” What’s considered young? Your might-look-at-a-strawberry-never-touches-a-veggie six-year-old or your eager-to-grow-up pre-teen?

We did a quick inventory of what shows are rated PG on VidAngel. Grease, Footloose, Top Gun, and The Great Outdoors, just to name a few. Classics. That’s right, Grease, with that iconic song about “Summer Loving,” is right up your ten-year-old’s alley. Or how about the 65 counts of profanity in Footloose, including an F-bomb. Perfect for family movie night. No? Or the 92 counts of profanity from Top Gun. Or as a parent realizing your 8-year-old is watching a couple in bed together… oopsies. That might be suitable for some ages but maybe not all ages.

By nature, the ratings are too ambiguous. There are thousands of movies and TV shows that are being placed into a handful of buckets, making it impossible to have someone else’s standards for what is or isn’t appropriate for your family to perfectly align with yours. With VidAngel, you don’t need to put your trust in a group of strangers outside your home when it comes to your movies and TV shows. You can decide what is and is not appropriate for your children.

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Great question. Objectionable content is subjective to the viewer. Yes, there are those shows and movies that 99.5/100 people would say were made in poor taste through and through. For those specific shows, hide them, remove them from your library, do what you must to protect your peace, and stay true to your convictions. We applaud you. Sadly, what we hear most often are people’s favorite TV series with great storylines, beloved characters, and solid content that introduce “objectionable” content midway through the TV series. They’ve already bought into the characters, never missed an episode, and feel like they are now left with two options: turn off the show or get through those parts with your eyes halfway shut or cringe during the vulgar language. 

We’re option number 3. We allow people to watch what they want without the parts they don’t align with morally. People are able to watch their favorite show without the concern of increased swearing or a random sex scene. We’re here for people who want to try out the new popular hit TV series but heard there are “just a couple scenes they have to fast-forward through.”

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