Fiction Ratings, an Essay fanfic

Fiction Ratings

News: March 28th, 2005 -- Starting today, will be adopting the Fiction Ratings system from Please visit the site to familiarize yourself with the new rating labels.

So, hands up who has an opinion about the new rating system on FictionPress?

.: raises hand as far as it will stretch :.

I do.

I am from Britain so when I joined FictionPress almost three years ago I had to accustom myself to the American way of categorising the content of a poem or a story. In Britain out rating system is as follows:

U – Universal, suitable for all.

PG – Parental Guidance, some scenes may be unsuitable for some children.

12 - No-one younger than 12 may rent or buy a '12' rated video.

12A (cinemas only) - No-one younger than 12 may see a '12A' film in a cinema unless with an adult

15 - No-one younger than 15 may see a '15' film in a cinema. No-one younger than 15 may rent or buy a '15' rated video.

18 - No-one younger than 18 may see an '18' film in a cinema. No-one younger than 18 may rent or buy an '18' rated video.

Now, as I’m sure you are all aware, FictionPress used to operate using the same ratings as American cinema:

G - General Audiences, all ages admitted.

PG - Parental Guidance Suggested, some material may not be suitable for children.

PG-13 –Parents Strongly Cautioned, some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

R – Restricted, under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17 - No One 17 and Under Admitted.

Today, March 28th 2005, FictionPress have changed, without warning its members, the rating system to a brand new classification method. We now have:

K – 6 plus content suitable for most ages. Intended for general audience 6 years and older. Content should be free of any coarse language, violence, and adult themes.

K – 9 plus some content may not be suitable for young children. Suitable for more mature children, 9 years and older, with minor action violence without serious injury. May contain mild coarse language. Should not contain any adult themes.

T – 13 plus contains content not suitable for children. Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes.

M – 16 plus contains content suitable for mature teens and older. Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 with possible strong but non-explicit adult themes, references to violence, and strong coarse language.

MA – 18 plus contains explicit content for mature adults only. Content is only suitable for mature adults. May contain explicit language and adult themes.

So that’s the new structure or rating our writing.

I for one am objected to it but maybe I’m just being stupid and don’t like change?

To me, the MA 18 plusrating sounds similar to the NC-17 rating which FictionPress banned some time ago. If NC-17 hasn’t been allowed then why should this MA be any different?

Looking over the ratings I can see how they make sense and maybe it’s just because it’s new but I think FictionPress should continue operating on the old method; the method that we all know and are familiar with.

What do you think?