What are the benefits of age ratings?
There are no binding age recommendations for children's and young adult books. For this reason, the age of the main character of a story is a common guideline in the industry. In addition, publishers often take into account the plot, language, theme and complexity of the book when categorising it.
The Swiss Commission for the Protection of Minors(filmrating.ch) checks the age level for which a cinema film is released. It differentiates between the levels 0, 6, 10, 12, 16 and 18 years. This sounds clearer than it is in reality. This is because many cinema operators disregard the age recommendations for cinema films. For example, a film may be approved for four-year-olds in St. Gallen and Lucerne, for six-year-olds in Bern and only for eight-year-olds in Zurich.
And what about computer games? Here the Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) applies, which is also supported by the most important game console manufacturers such as Sony and Nintendo. The symbols of the PEGI classification system are printed on the front and back of the packaging and distinguish between the age groups 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18, indicating whether or not a game is suitable for an age group in terms of the protection of minors. However, caution is also required here: In Switzerland, the release is based on the PEGI system, but on a game DVD produced in Germany, the age rating of the USK (Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body) may come with a different recommendation.
Age rating is not a seal of approval
An approval label merely means «does no harm»; it does not provide parents with additional content criteria. But age classification is not enough. Parents usually know this from experience: every child develops individually and has its own character. Sometimes a three-year-old child can cope better with the tension of a story than a six-year-old. Or a ten-year-old is overchallenged where a child of the same age is underchallenged - with the same book, film or computer game.
Content criteria are therefore necessary in order to characterise a product as suitable and good for children or young people. For all media. A product is good if it addresses topics that children and young people can identify with. Topics that affect their world and enrich children and young people. Stories that are encouraging are also important. And stories that appeal to emotions and answer questions that are currently on the minds of children and young people.
For you as parents, this also means: take an interest in your children's world - in their books, films and computer games. Ask questions and talk about it. And form your own judgement. Do you have any doubts? Then put the product away for another year or two. Raise your children to be favourably critical. And experience together how to critically scrutinise and evaluate content. Again and again.
Picture: zVg
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On Medienstark you will find tips and interactive learning modules for the competent use of digital media in everyday family life. swisscom.ch/medienstark