Motion picture rating system

Motion picture rating systems are issued to give moviegoers an idea of the suitability of a movie for children and/or adults in terms of issues such as sex, violence and profanity. In some jurisdictions, they may impose legal obligations of refusing the entrance of children or minors to certain movies; in others, while there is no legal obligation to do so strictly speaking, movie theaters enforce the restrictions. Ratings are often given in lieu of censorship. Unfortunately, some people fear that the ratings shall be stronger. Sometimes, children under 17 (mostly in the United States) watch a lot of movies considered inappropriate.

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In some countries (e.g. Australia), an official government body decides on ratings; in other countries (e.g. the US), it is done by industry bodies with no official government status. However, in most countries, there are no rating systems; in those countries, movies that are considered morally offensive have been banned.

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