TL;DR
Ratings are a baseline, not a rulebook. The ESRB (games) is generally more reliable than the MPA (movies), but both miss the "vibe check" of modern digital culture.
- The biggest red flag today: "In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items)"—that's code for loot boxes/gambling.
- The "Parental Guidance" trap: PG-13 has become the catch-all for everything from Inside Out 2 (which is actually PG) to movies that are basically R-rated lite.
- Quick Links: Understanding ESRB Ratings, The Truth About Roblox Ratings, Is PG-13 the new PG?
We’ve all been there: standing in the game aisle or scrolling through Netflix, staring at a little black-and-white icon and wondering, "Is this going to result in a week of nightmares, or is it just a few 'hells' and 'damns'?"
The problem is that the rating systems we grew up with haven't exactly kept pace with the "Ohio" energy of 2025. A "T for Teen" rating on a game like Fortnite doesn't tell you about the toxic voice chat or the $200 your kid just spent on "Skin" bundles. A TV-Y rating on a YouTube-adjacent show doesn't guarantee it isn't total brain rot.
Let’s break down the alphabet soup so you can actually tell what you’re signing your family up for.
Ratings aren't just about protecting "innocence"; they're about managing cognitive load and emotional readiness. A 7-year-old might be fine with the "cartoon violence" in Brawl Stars, but they might not be ready for the dopamine-loop mechanics of its "Starr Drops" (loot boxes).
Ratings give us a shorthand, but as intentional parents, we need to read the fine print.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is actually one of the better systems out there because they are incredibly specific. But you have to look past the big letter on the front.
This is the "G" of gaming. Think Super Mario Odyssey. It’s generally safe, but "Everyone" doesn't mean "Easy." Some E-rated games are hard enough to make a grown adult throw a controller.
This is where Minecraft lives. It usually means there’s some "fantasy violence"—you’re hitting skeletons with swords, but there’s no blood. It’s the sweet spot for elementary-aged kids.
This is the Wild West. The Sims 4 is T. Fortnite is T. Destiny 2 is T. The gap between "simulated flirting" and "shooting aliens in the face" is huge.
The "Interactive Elements" (The Part You Actually Need to Read)
At the bottom of the ESRB box, you’ll see "Interactive Elements." This is more important than the age rating.
- Users Interact: This means your kid can talk to strangers. If a game has this, the rating officially "does not apply to online interactions." In other words, the game is E, but the 19-year-old in the chat is definitely M.
- In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items): This is the loot box warning. If you see this, the game is designed to trigger the same part of the brain as a slot machine.
Ask our chatbot for a list of E-rated games without loot boxes
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) is... well, it’s a bit of a mess. It’s run by a private group of parents, and their logic can be baffling.
- PG (Parental Guidance): In the 80s, PG meant you might see a severed head (looking at you, Jaws). Today, PG is almost exclusively for animated movies like The Wild Robot. If a live-action movie is PG today, it’s usually very "clean."
- PG-13: This is the industry's favorite rating because it's the most profitable. It’s also the most inconsistent. Marvel movies are PG-13, but so is Barbie and Oppenheimer (wait, no, that was R, but you get the point).
- R: Usually means "the F-word is used more than once" or there’s graphic violence. Movies like Deadpool & Wolverine are "Hard R," meaning they aren't just "mature"—they are aggressively adult.
Screenwise Tip: Don't trust a PG-13 rating blindly. Check the "Content Descriptors" for "Thematic Elements." That’s usually code for "this movie deals with heavy stuff like suicide, trauma, or complex grief" that your 10-year-old might not be ready for even if there's no swearing.
TV ratings are actually quite helpful if you know the sub-ratings:
- FV: Fantasy Violence (cartoons)
- L: Language
- S: Sexual situations
- V: Violence
- D: Suggestive Dialogue
A show like Stranger Things is TV-14, mostly for "V" and "L." Meanwhile, something like Hazbin Hotel on Amazon is TV-MA, and it really earns that "MA" with constant profanity and adult themes. Just because it's animated doesn't mean it's for kids.
Apple and Google have their own age ratings (4+, 9+, 12+, 17+), but they are often wildly misleading.
Take Roblox. For years, it was rated 4+ on the App Store. 4+! For a platform where kids can play "Survive the Killer" or stumble into "condo" games (user-created adult spaces). Apple eventually bumped it to 12+, but even that is a guess.
When it comes to apps, ignore the age rating and look at the "Data Linked to You" and "In-App Purchases" sections. If an app is 4+ but tracks your location and has $99.99 coin packs, it’s not for a 4-year-old.
Ratings measure objectionable content (sex, violence, language). They do not measure quality or educational value.
A YouTube channel like Skibidi Toilet might technically be "fine" based on a violence/language check, but it’s essentially high-octane sensory overload. On the flip side, a game like Stardew Valley (rated E10+) might have "simulated gambling" (a tiny casino in the game), but it’s one of the most wholesome, entrepreneurial, and relaxing experiences a kid can have.
Context > Content.
When your kid asks why they can't play Call of Duty (Rated M) even though "everyone else in 5th grade does," don't just say "because the box says so."
Try this: "The people who rate these games look at how much realistic violence is in there. This game is rated for 17-year-olds because it’s designed to look and feel like real war. I don't think that's what we want to fill your head with right now. Let’s find something that’s still a shooter but feels more like a game, like Splatoon 3."
- ESRB is your friend. Read the "Interactive Elements."
- PG-13 is a trap. It can be anything from Spider-Man to a psychological thriller.
- App Store ratings are suggestions, not facts.
- Use Screenwise. We do the deep dive into the "vibe" of the media so you don't have to spend your Friday night reading Wikipedia plot summaries.
- Check your child's most-played game on the Screenwise dashboard. Is the rating what you expected?
- Toggle the "Loot Box" filter in your Screenwise settings to see which of your kids' games are using gambling mechanics.
- Have a "Rating Audit" dinner. Ask your kids what they think the ratings mean. You’ll be surprised (and probably a little horrified) by what they think is "normal."
Ask our chatbot to compare two games or movies for your child's age