Meta to Scale Back PG-13 References Following Motion Picture Association Agreement
- tech360.tv
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Meta and the Motion Picture Association have resolved a dispute regarding Meta's use of the PG-13 film rating for its teen accounts. Meta has agreed to substantially reduce references to the rating and include a disclaimer that the MPA is not involved with its ratings.
This agreement settles an earlier disagreement where the MPA sent a cease-and-desist letter to Meta. The association argued Meta's use of the PG-13 label risked confusing parents, infringed its trademark, and was misleading.
Charles Rivkin, chairman and chief executive officer of the MPA, stated, "While we welcome efforts to protect kids from content that may not be appropriate for them, this agreement helps ensure that parents do not conflate the two systems, which operate in very different contexts."
A Meta spokesperson explained the company's goal was to help parents better understand its teen content policies by drawing inspiration from a framework families already know. Meta rigorously reviewed and updated these policies based on 13+ movie ratings criteria and parent feedback.
The spokesperson added, "While that's not changing, we've taken the MPA's feedback on how we talk about that work." The MPA had also asserted Meta's claim that its filters align with the PG-13 rating was "literally false and highly misleading."
The MPA argued Meta's automated systems do not follow the curated, consensus-based process used for the film rating system. The association's voluntary rating system assesses films based on their suitability for children, with PG-13 meaning parental guidance is recommended for viewers under 13.
Meta will reduce PG-13 references for teen accounts.
Meta will add a disclaimer stating the MPA is not involved with its ratings.
The agreement resolves a dispute over trademark infringement and parental confusion.
Source: REUTERS
