WISE stands for Wholesome, Imaginative, Safe, Enriching. Every movie, TV show, video game, book, app, YouTube channel, podcast, and board game on Screenwise gets scored 0-25 on each dimension, combining to an overall 0-100 WISE score. Unlike traditional ratings (MPAA, ESRB, TV Parental Guidelines), WISE scores are multi-dimensional and personalized — the same scores produce different recommendations for different families based on their values and priorities.
Traditional media ratings are one-dimensional. MPAA ratings give you a letter (G, PG, PG-13, R). ESRB ratings give you a category (E, T, M). Common Sense Media gives you an age number.
But parents care about multiple things at once. Is it safe? Will my kid learn something? Does it promote positive values? Is it encouraging creativity or just passive consumption? A single number can't capture all of that. WISE scores can.
W — Wholesome (0-25)
Does this media promote positive values? We evaluate kindness, empathy, and friendship modeling; healthy relationships and conflict resolution; constructive problem-solving (not just violence); and realistic consequences for actions.
High Wholesome examples: Bluey (excellent family dynamics modeling), Wild Kratts (environmental stewardship), Stardew Valley (community building)
I — Imaginative (0-25)
Does this media encourage creativity and active engagement? We evaluate open-ended play vs. passive consumption, creative tools and building mechanics, storytelling depth and narrative complexity, and problem-solving and experimentation.
High Imaginative examples: Minecraft (endless creative building), Scratch (learn coding by creating), LEGO games (construction and design)
S — Safe (0-25)
Is this age-appropriate and free from concerning content? We evaluate violence level and type, sexual content and language, scary or disturbing imagery, and online safety factors (chat features, user-generated content, unmoderated interactions).
High Safe examples: Walled-garden educational apps, curated content platforms, games with no chat or online features
E — Enriching (0-25)
Will your kid learn something valuable? We evaluate educational content and skill development, cultural exposure and critical thinking, real-world applicability, and entertainment value balanced with developmental benefit.
High Enriching examples: Brains On podcast (science for kids), Duolingo (language learning), Kerbal Space Program (physics and engineering)
WISE scores are calculated using AI analysis that combines multiple data sources: content analysis of the media itself, external ratings from TMDB, IGDB, Metacritic, Letterboxd, and other platforms, community data from Screenwise family surveys, expert review of safety and developmental factors, and web research for current information about online features and updates.
Each dimension is scored independently on a 0-25 scale. The four scores combine to an overall WISE score of 0-100.
Here's what makes WISE scores different from every other rating system: the same scores produce different recommendations for different families.
When you take the Screenwise survey, we learn your family's priorities. If you told us educational value is critical, we'll surface high-Enriching content. If safety is your top concern, we'll weight that dimension more heavily. If your kid has been gaming since age 5, our safety assessment accounts for that experience level.
Same WISE scores. Different recommendations for different families.
Minecraft — Overall: 87/100
- Wholesome: 22/25 (pro-social multiplayer, community building)
- Imaginative: 25/25 (endless creativity, open-ended play)
- Safe: 20/25 (safe with parental controls, online has some risks)
- Enriching: 20/25 (problem-solving, basic engineering concepts)
Bluey — Overall: 95/100
- Wholesome: 25/25 (excellent parenting and family dynamics modeling)
- Imaginative: 23/25 (creative play is the central theme)
- Safe: 25/25 (nothing concerning, ever)
- Enriching: 22/25 (emotional intelligence, family relationships)
Fortnite — Overall: 59/100
- Wholesome: 15/25 (competitive but not toxic core gameplay)
- Imaginative: 18/25 (Creative mode adds significant points)
- Safe: 14/25 (voice chat concerns, social pressure to play)
- Enriching: 12/25 (some strategic thinking, mostly entertainment)
| Feature | MPAA (G/PG/R) | ESRB (E/T/M) | Common Sense Media | WISE Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 1 (age gate) | 1 (age gate) | 1 (age number) | 4 (W, I, S, E) |
| Scale | 5 categories | 6 categories | Age number | 0-100 continuous |
| Personalized | No | No | No | Yes |
| Media covered | Movies only | Games only | Movies, shows, games, apps | All media + YouTube, podcasts, TikTok |
| Online safety | N/A | "Online not rated" | Sometimes | Core dimension |
| Updated | Set once | Set once | Occasionally | Continuously |
Quick filter: Anything above 70 is generally solid for most families. Above 85 is excellent.
Dimension focus: Browse all Screenwise ratings and sort by the dimension that matters most to your family.
Personalized ranking: After taking the survey, your recommendations page re-ranks everything based on your family's specific priorities and values.
Q: What does WISE stand for?
WISE stands for Wholesome, Imaginative, Safe, and Enriching. These are the four dimensions Screenwise uses to rate every piece of media — movies, TV shows, video games, books, apps, YouTube channels, podcasts, and board games.
Q: How is a WISE score different from an MPAA or ESRB rating?
Traditional ratings like MPAA (G, PG, PG-13, R) and ESRB (E, E10+, T, M) are single-dimension age gates. WISE scores rate media across four independent dimensions on a 0-100 scale, giving parents a much more complete picture. A game rated E (Everyone) by ESRB might score high on Safe but low on Enriching, for example.
Q: Are WISE scores the same for every family?
The base WISE scores are the same — Minecraft's Imaginative score is 25/25 regardless of who's looking. But how those scores translate into recommendations is personalized. A family that prioritizes creativity will see Minecraft ranked higher than a family that prioritizes educational content.
Q: How often are WISE scores updated?
WISE scores are recalculated as new data becomes available — when games get major updates, when new safety concerns emerge, or when community data shifts. This is different from traditional ratings which are set once and rarely revisited.
Q: What media types get WISE scores?
Movies, TV shows, video games, books, apps, YouTube channels, TikTok creators, podcasts, and board games. Browse all rated media.
Q: Can I see WISE scores without taking the survey?
Yes — all WISE scores are publicly visible on media pages. The survey unlocks personalized recommendations and community benchmarks, but the base scores are available to everyone.
WISE scores give you more information to make better decisions — not a single number that tells you what to do. Four dimensions, personalized to your family, covering every type of media your kids actually use.
Take the survey to get WISE-scored recommendations personalized to your family, or browse all ratings to see WISE scores in action.