Ratings debate heats up

U.S. and U.K. officials are tightening the rules around what children watch, with new pressure on ratings labels and new advice on screen limits for preschoolers. (fcc.gov) (gov.uk) At the Federal Communications Commission, the Media Bureau posted a public notice on April 22, 2026 seeking comment on the TV ratings system “to empower parents,” after Chair Brendan Carr said some shows may be getting softer labels than their content warrants. (fcc.gov) The current U.S. system is voluntary and industry-run. Networks or producers assign episode-by-episode ratings, and the labels appear at the start of a program; parents can use those codes with the V-Chip or set-top-box controls to block shows. (tvguidelines.org) (fcc.gov) Those labels combine age bands and content flags. The TV Parental Guidelines say programs can carry age ratings such as TV-Y, TV-Y7 or TV-14, plus descriptors for dialogue, language, sex or violence. (tvguidelines.org) The board that oversees those ratings is also industry-led. Its site says the Monitoring Board includes 18 industry representatives and five public-interest members, and its 2025 annual report said it ran four spot-check audits across broadcast, cable and streaming. (tvguidelines.org 1) (tvguidelines.org 2) In England, the government published its first screen-use guidance for children under 5 on March 26 and March 27, 2026, after consulting more than 1,000 parents and commissioning an expert review. (gov.uk 1) (gov.uk 2) That advice tells parents to avoid screen time for children under 2 except for shared activities, and to aim for no more than one hour a day for ages 2 to 5, with no screens at mealtimes or in the hour before bed. It also says parents should choose slow-paced, age-appropriate content and watch with children rather than leave them alone with a device. (gov.uk) (educationhub.blog.gov.uk) The U.K. push is tied to early-childhood development data. The Department for Education said 98% of two-year-olds watch screens every day, while 24% of parents of 3- to 5-year-olds say they find it hard to control screen time. (gov.uk) Officials built that guidance around a new advisory group created in January 2026 and co-chaired by Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza and University College London professor Russell Viner. The group said it reviewed scientific evidence and 132 responses to a public call for evidence. (gov.uk 1) (gov.uk 2) Outside government, the argument is shifting from whether parents need help to how much help they need. Children & Young People Now reported in January that ministers were preparing “practical, non-judgmental support,” and later published a comment piece arguing that guidance should be paired with evidence-based support for families. (cypnow.co.uk) (cypnow.co.uk) The common thread is that both systems still lean on parents as the last line of defense. In the U.S., that means clearer labels that make blocking tools work; in England, it means advice that turns screen time into a household rule rather than a platform setting. (fcc.gov) (gov.uk)