Some unknown number of Second Life simulators are designated PG, though we've asked Linden Lab and received no reply, we believe that the number is under 2% of the total. The rest of the simulators are designated as Mature.
PG vs Mature. No problem, right? Unfortunately, Linden Lab's description of those ratings is inherently contradictory.
"The PG and Mature ratings mirror those used by many countries' movie and television industries to denote the age-appropriateness of behavior, language and creations within a given area of Second Life." says the Second Life knowledge-base.
Indeed, this is the widest and most popular interpretation. Unfortunately, standards for movie ratings vary. PG films may contain some nudity, violent behavior, aggressive behavior and/or language, profanity and horror.
The amounts depend on the classification board of your country; some of these may be present in greater or lesser quantities, and that's probably what PG means to you. The above list is part of the MPAA's (Motion Picture Association of America) ratings advisory information brochure for PG.
So, that's a reasonable interpretation of what PG means given Linden Lab's representation above, and it is not surprising that many Second Life users adhere to this interpretation.
Linden Lab says, "PG Areas are designated to be free from sexually explicit language or behavior, swearing and other forms of aggressive language, violent behavior and/or imagery, including horror."
Okay, so the reasonable interpretation is wrong. Ouch, huh?
In fact this is the very definition of a G-rating, according to the MPAA.
If in doubt, Linden Lab offers this helpful tip, "PG regions have frequently been described as an area where you're free to say and do things that you would feel comfortable doing in front of your grandmother, or a grade school class."
Okay, that's definitely a G rating, and definitely not a PG rating.
Additionally -- when asked -- we had to dig for this. At no point was it readily or easily available. We finally found it in the Knowledge Base [insert obligatory "Beware of the Leopard" joke here], so it is hardly surprising that what many users largely believe to be a PG rating is actually a G rating as far as Linden Lab is concerned.
Without increased and persistent clarity, we don't see that situation getting better anytime soon, especially not as Second Life users become increasingly focused on flagging inappropriate content.
Not everyone cleaves to the PG is movie-PG interpretation, some people adhere to the PG-is-G, safe-for-work sense. This leads to friction among users in-world.
Discussions between users about what constitutes acceptable content for a simulator designated PG can frequently become vociferous and adversarial. Line up ten people and ask them what is and isn't allowed in a PG sim, and you get ten different opinions and probably two bitter fights.
Two people in a designated PG simulator may frequently clash on what is and is not appropriate, leading one to file abuse-reports the other, and the other to feel unfairly treated or harassed, and that the reports are without merit.
This increases the workload on the governance team who is handling the abuse reports, and leaves them with less time for doing other things -- such as restoring content that was automatically taken down due to false-flagging of search results, for example.
Granted, there have been several pushes in the past to have the ratings designations changed -- a task which would require some development effort, as well as invalidating a lot of written material -- but leaving them as-is causes persistent confusion.
It would almost be clearer to simply designate the simulators as 'A' and 'B', as it is the preconceived and parochial notions of what constitutes a PG rating that generates the most friction.
