BOSTON — A movie rated PG-13 today contains comparable content to an R-rated movie a decade ago, according to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).
“The findings demonstrate that a ratings creep has occurred over the last decade and that today’s movies contain significantly more violence, sex and profanity on average than movies of the same rating a decade ago,” Kimberly Thompson, associate professor at HSPH and director of the Kids Risk Project, said in a mid-July news release.
Researchers compiled a database including movie ratings and ratings reasons obtained from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and information about movie content from two independent sources, Kids-in-Mind and Screen It. They then assessed the relationship between movie ratings and content for films released between 1992 and 2003, the release said.
The significant increase in violence, sex and profanity the study found in films over the 11-year period suggests the MPAA has become increasingly lenient in assigning its age-based movie ratings. Even in G-rated movies, researchers found a significantly higher amount of violence in animated movies than in non-animated films, the Harvard release said.
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