Brazilian advisory rating system

The staff consists of about 30 people, including raters and the administrative staff, having passed public service exams, with various academic backgrounds. These content rating analysts undergo continuous training, and never affix a rating individually. All works are watched by at least two analysts separately and if there is no consensus, the analysis group is broadened.[1]

The criteria that guide the public policy of the content rating are supported under 3 broad themes—sex, drugs, and violence—content considered inappropriate to the upbringing of children and adolescents. The analysis is made counterbalancing the frequency, relevance, context, intensity and importance to the plot of scenes, dialogues and images containing violence, drug use and sex/nudity. This margin of subjectivity ensures flexibilities that are critical to the process and the rating result. The analyses consist of three steps: factual description, thematic description and age grading. When the process is finished, it is subjected to the coordination, and finally to the director of the department, who makes the order for publication on the Brazilian Official Journal, along with small content descriptors. The criteria for rating the works were developed taking into account national and international studies and public hearings in all regions across Brazil, including public debates, both face-to-face and online.[1]

Aiming to provide an instrument for the choice of the family, the Practical Guide was created, which claims to bring transparency and objectivity to the public policy of the content rating, showing detailed analysis criteria, subdivided by age groups. They can serve broadcasters, producers and distributors of movies and games and also families and society in general.[1]

The objectivity of the analysis departs from moral considerations and moralistic views.[1] The Ministry of Justice specifically cited that sexual orientation does not aggravate the rating and that, in fact, showing material of respect and encouragement to diversity can attenuate the rating.[2] They also specified that their job is to give an advisory rating for parents, therefore, they do not have any legal right to ban, demand cuts or refuse to rate any work.[3]

NOTE: There are also operational descriptions of attenuating and aggravating elements, such as scene composition, relevance, frequency, motivation, among others, that can interfere on the final rating.[5]

Icon	Description
	Livre (General Audiences): This Rating is suitable for all audiences: Violence: Fantasy violence; display of arms with no violence; deaths with no violence; slapping; bones and skeletons with no violence. Sex and Nudity: Non-erotic nudity; non-romantic love. Drugs: Moderate or suggestive use of legal drugs.
	Não recomendado para menores de dez anos (Not recommended for minors under ten): The following contents are accepted for this age range: Violence: Display of arms with violence; fear or tension; distress; bones and skeletons with signs of violent acts; criminal acts without violence; derogatory language. Sex and Nudity: Educational contents about sex. Drugs: References to the use of legal drugs; discussion on the issue "drug trafficking"; medicinal use of illegal drugs.
	Não recomendado para menores de doze anos (Not recommended for minors under twelve): The following contents are accepted for this age range: Violence: Violent act; body injury; violence references; sight of blood; victim's pain; natural or accidental death with violence; violent act against animals; exposure to danger; showing people in embarrassing or degrading situations; verbal aggression; obscenity; bullying; corpses; sexual harassment; overvaluation of the physical beauty; overvaluation of consumption. Sex and Nudity: Veiled nudity; sexual innuendo; sexual fondling; masturbation; coarse language; sex references; sex simulation; tongue kissing; sexual appeal. Drugs: Use of legal drugs; Medication misuse; Inducing the use of legal drugs; Discussion on the "decriminalization of illegal drugs"; Illegal drugs references.
	Não recomendado para menores de quatorze anos (Not recommended for minors under fourteen): The following contents are accepted for this age range: Violence: Abortion; Euthanasia; Sexual exploitation; Intentional death; Death penalty; Social stigma or Prejudice. Sex and Nudity: Erotization; Nudity; romantic love;Crude language; Sexual intercourse; Prostitution. Drugs: Suggestive use of illegal drugs; References to the use or trafficking of illegal drugs
	Não recomendado para menores de dezesseis anos (Not recommended for minors under sixteen): The following contents are accepted for this age range: Violence: Act of pedophilia; Rape; Mutilation; Suicide; Torture; Gratuitous violence/trivialization of violence. Sex and Nudity: Intense sexual intercourse. Drugs: Production or trafficking of any illegal drug; Use of illegal drugs; Inducing the use of illegal drugs.
	Não recomendado para menores de dezoito anos (Not recommended for minors under eighteen): The following contents are accepted for this age range: Violence: Apology to violence; Cruelty Sex and Nudity: Explicit sex; Complex/strong impact sexual situation Drugs: Apology to the use of illegal drugs.

Information on the rating system includes content descriptors which are a summary of the main rating indicators inserted in the work rated. The list of descriptors explains the rating system and also informs parents and guardians about the type of content that the work contains. For instance, a work rated as "10 years old" and with the descriptor "Violence" will contain light violent scenes, while a work rated as "16 years old" and the same descriptor will show stronger violent scenes. Below is a list of the fifteen terms used in the rating system:[5]

1. Violência (Violence);
2. Violência Extrema (Extreme Violence);
3. Conteúdo Sexual (Sexual Content);
4. Nudez (Nudity);
5. Sexo (Sex);
6. Sexo Explícito (Explicit Sex);
7. Drogas (Drugs);
8. Drogas Lícitas (Legal Drugs);
9. Drogas Ilícitas (Illegal Drugs);
10. Linguagem Imprópria (Inappropriate Language);
11. Atos Criminosos (Criminal Acts);
12. Conteúdo Impactante (Shocking Content);
13. Temas Sensíveis (Sensitive Themes);
14. Procedimentos Médicos (Medical Procedures);
15. Medo (Fear).

In order to request a Qualification Rating, one will have to provide a documentation (in a Portuguese-language form) which explains why a media (game/TV show, etc.) is recommended or not to a certain rating. A preview of that media is also compulsory to avoid mistakes during media verification.

The document will have to be sent to the Department of Justice, Rating, Titles and Qualification. There's no fee to get the rating and the process from the documents reception to the official rating can take about 20 days.

• Department of Justice, Rating, Titles and Qualification page (in Portuguese)
• Rated movies and games database (in Portuguese)
• Links to the needed forms (in Portuguese)