What content is appropriate for certain levels of rating
Science
The definition of what content is appropriate for certain levels of rating do seem to have evolved over the past several years. I have noticed that more sexual content and coarse language seems to have made its way into movies that are rated PG-13. However, when I think about this change I wonder if simple economics are at play. Previously, these movies that had coarse language and sexual content (especially nudity) would have been given an R rating. Today however, many of these films are being rated PG-13 and I would argue it is being done to attract the 13-16 year old movie crowd. If the MPAA continued to rate movies with an R rating, they would be denying themselves millions of customers each week that would otherwise be unable to attend the movies by themselves. Do you feel this is a credible argument to possibly explain the liberalization of the ratings of recent films?
