Offensive language is a common classification issue that most, if not all of the current ratings boards deal with; how each ratings board deals with words ranging from mild to strong wildly varies, which is why some similarities and differences have been provided here.
Crude sexual references and rude gestures, such as the middle finger gesture may also qualify as "offensive language".
Sensibilities of language vary considerably. English language regions are harsh on language, but non-English regions are not as harsh with language.
Offensive language is generally treated as the least problematic content issue since many children and teens already use offensive language in their lives.
ACB (Australia)[]
The ACB has similar guidelines to the MPA, CHVRS and BBFC for the G and PG ratings, though on rare occasions strong language has been allowed at the PG category (ex. Julie & Julia, rated PG on appeal).
G rated coarse language is restricted to religious language such as "hell" or "damn". Acronyms can be used in certain cases (e.g., "BS"). Mild coarse language such as "sh*t", "b*tch", "ass/arse", "d*ck", "c*ck", etc. is permitted at PG.
The most unique difference to the ACB system is the M rating; "f**k" can be used, as long as the use of the words only has what the ACB determines as a moderate impact, if it isn't too aggressive, and if it isn't too frequent. The M rating also allows for slur usage.
Very strong coarse language such as "c**t" usually results in MA 15+ but can be allocated within the M rating if justified by context in some rare cases. Coarse language is virtually unrestricted at R 18+.
BBFC[]
The BBFC regularly deal with offensive language as a classification issue; dividing it into categories such as 'very mild', 'mild', 'moderate', 'strong', and 'very strong' in consumer advice.
Very mild bad language ('damn', 'hell', 'God', 'Jesus Christ') is allowed infrequently at the U category. Mild bad language ('crap', 'arse', 'bloody', 'sh*t') is permitted at the PG category, while moderate bad language ('pr*ck', 'b*tch', 'wanker') is inconsistently considered PG and 12A/12, depending on the context/amount of times the words are used. Strong language ('f**k') is allowed infrequently at 12A/12, though the BBFC is more lenient on the definition of 'infrequent' than the MPA is; for example, the film About Time was permitted with five uses of the F-word to receive a 12A/12 rating for 'infrequent strong language, moderate sex references'.
More frequent strong language is limited to the 15 category, while very strong language ('c**t') is also limited at the 15 category by number of uses and the context. Very strong language will also fall into the 18 rating if it is used frequently. The BBFC used to be much stricter on very strong language, causing any aggressive use of 'c**t' to receive an automatic 18 rating. The Angels' Share had several uses of very strong language cut for a 15, while rated 15A uncut in Irish cinemas and 15 uncut on Irish video.
A notable major difference between the BBFC and other ratings system is their views on the words 'spaz' and 'spastic', which the BBFC views as being offensive in a children's work. Use of these words usually results in an automatic 12A/12 rating, and several children's works from outside the UK have been cut for a U/PG to remove the words.
The BBFC was among the ratings boards that gave a more lenient rating to The King's Speech, rating it 12A/12 for "strong language in a speech therapy context".
However, many people received complaints about the 18 classification of Sweet Sixteen given by the BBFC; it's due to the amount of language, including the amount of 'c**t'. The BBFC refuses to re-rate Sweet Sixteen, but Interclyde had overrode the BBFC classification and rated it 15.
Canada[]
There are no set limits on coarse language at the various categories, though most provinces (with the exception of Quebec) stay close to the MPA decision, rating films with frequent strong language with a 14A rating.
British Columbia sometimes chooses to go against these decisions depending on the context in which the offensive language is used, rating films such as Boyhood and Pirate Radio as PG despite their strong language.
Quebec has their own system unique from the rest of Canada; this system allows offensive language to be used in a G-rated work as long as it is not prominent throughout the work or is justified by the context. Works in which it is more prominent typically receive a 13+ rating; it is very rare for a work to be classified 16+ or 18+ simply based on offensive language.
ESRB (North America)[]
The ESRB allows religious language for E rated video games ("damn", "hell"), mild language for E10+ rated video games ("ass", "bastard", "b*tch", "piss"), slightly stronger language at the T rating ("sh*t", "a*shole", "d*ck", "p*ssy", "pr*ck", "n**ga") and strong language at the M rating ("f**k", "motherf**ker", "c*nt") with only a few notable exceptions (some versions of Crazy Taxi, The Orion Conspiracy). Unlike other rating boards, the ESRB does not view the word "c*cksucker" as strong language.[1]
FPB (South Africa)[]
FPB has a descriptor that warns the viewer that there will be coarse language, Below there is the following guidelines (effective 1 August 2022) given by the FPB regarding coarse language (L):
- For films:
- A: May not contain implied, verbal or actual instances of coarse language.
- PG: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of low impact coarse language.
- 7-9 PG: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of low to mild impact coarse language.
- 10-12 PG: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of mild impact coarse language.
- 13: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of moderate impact coarse language.
- 16: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of strong impact coarse language.
- 18: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of very strong impact coarse language.
- For video games:
- PG: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of low impact coarse language.
- 7-9 PG: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of low to mild impact coarse language.
- 10-12 PG: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of mild to moderate impact coarse language.
- 13: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of moderate impact coarse language.
- 16: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of strong impact coarse language.
- 18: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of very strong impact coarse language.
- For publications:
- 13: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of very mild to mild impact coarse language.
- 16: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of moderate impact coarse language.
- 18: May contain implied, verbal or actual instances of strong to very strong impact coarse language.
The lowest rating that can be given to a film containing the F-bomb is 7-9 PG, in which it is used for La La Land. The King's Speech was rated 13 for moderate impact coarse language, but the aforementioned motion picture received an R by the MPA, identified as strong language by both the MPA and BBFC.
FSK/FSF/USK (Germany)[]
FSK is overall very lenient on offensive language; very rarely is it a classification issue all of its own. Movies that have been rated R in the United States for strong language such as Billy Elliot and The King's Speech have received children's classifications (FSK 6 and FSK 0 respectably).
Eirin (Japan)[]
Eirin is lenient on offensive language; some films rated R in the US are rated G or PG12 in Japan. Mild swearing is allowed in G rated films. The use of the word "f**k" is allowed in PG12 rated fiims.
IFCO (Ireland)[]
IFCO's guidelines are very close to that of the BBFC, though some exceptions have occurred. For example, La La Land, which was rated 12A by the BBFC for a single use of 'f**k', was rated PG in Ireland, but the most significant example is Frost/Nixon, which was given a 15 by the BBFC but a PG by the IFCO. Red Army was rated 15 by the BBFC but rated 12A by the IFCO but rated 15 on video instead of 12 (due to the single instance of the word 'c**ksucker'). The Angels' Share was rated 18 by the BBFC (because frequent use of the word 'c**t', especially the most aggressive uses) but a 15A uncut by the IFCO cinemas and 15 uncut on Irish video.
IMDA (Singapore)[]
Some mild to moderate coarse language is allowed in PG and PG13 rated films; the word 'f**k' is also allowed infrequently at the PG13 category. Strong language (e.g. 'motherf**ker', 'c**t', 'c**ksucker', 'chee bye', 'lan jiao', 'puki mak', 'pundai', etc.) is officially allowed starting at the NC16 category, though depending on the frequency and context may be classified as M18 or R21. Coarse language that offends community and cultural sensitivities (e.g. 'kan ni lao bu') is restricted to the M18 category, and when used frequently or aggressively, to R21.
Strong religious profanity (such as 'Jesus f**king Christ') is viewed as highly offensive and is a compulsory cut even at the R21 category.
Kijkwijzer (Netherlands)[]
Kijkwijzer is very lenient on offensive language. A work cannot be rated above the AL (All Ages) rating for offensive language alone; however, if the language is sexually explicit, the work may be rated 12 based on sex.
MPA[]
One of the things the MPA is most well-known for is an urban legend about the number of uses of 'f**k' allowed in a PG-13 rated film; the MPA has never gone on record saying there is an official limit, though there does appear to be a limit at one or two for the majority of films.
However, films such as Gunner Palace and The Hip Hop Project have managed to well exceed this limit after getting their R ratings appealed. Both films were documentaries in which the distributor argued it was important for teenagers to see the issues presented in their films.
Additionally, while many PG-13 rated films that include the following intact, such as The Bridges of Madison County (which included the line "f**k on the linoleum"), As Good as It Gets (with three uses of 'f**k'), and Philomena (with four uses of 'f**k'), did have to be appealed down, a use of 'f**k' in a sexual context (as seen with Secret Window, which included the line "I guess you shouldn't have f**ked him, then!") does not mean an automatic R, nor does multiple limited uses of the word (as seen with Hero, which had 11 uses of 'f**k').
For trailers, infrequent use of "b*tch" is permissible at the green band level, as demonstrated with the trailer for Star Trek: Into Darkness.
OFNAA (Hong Kong)[]
At Category I, bad language must not use expressions or words with sexual connotations or normally specifically used by certain criminal groups in Hong Kong.
IIA can have infrequent mild expletives with sexual connotations or coarse language if justified by context.
Stronger language is permitted at IIB and III.
OFLC (New Zealand)[]
The New Zealand OFLC usually has very close or identical decisions to that of the Australian OFLC although a bit more lenient. For example, Planes, Trains, & Automobiles was rated M in Australia based off one scene with strong coarse language, but only received a PG in New Zealand.
PEGI[]
PEGI's stance on language is a lot stricter than that of the ESRB: any use of profanity (with exceptions, notably The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog containing extremely mild terms, e.g. 'dang'/'dangit'/'heck'), even 'damn'/'hell', is an automatic PEGI 12 rating. The PEGI 12 rating covers mild to moderate language (this includes racial slurs), while sexual expletives (e.g. 'f**k'/'c**t' and their derivatives including sexual insults such as 'motherf**ker' and 'c**ksucker') are an automatic PEGI 16 rating.
Similar to the BBFC, the word 'spaz'/'spastic' is viewed much harsher than it is in other countries, and is considering an expletive that can automatically earn a game a PEGI 12 rating. (Example: Original copies of Sonic Rush Adventure which contain a single use of the word are rated 12; a reissue with the word removed received a 3 rating.) The same issue happened in Mario Party 8, which was censored after Kamek said spastic.
TV Parental Guidelines[]
The coarse language descriptor is only permitted at the TV-PG, TV-14, and TV-MA ratings, so there are programs with lower ratings where profanity is rarely heard. In TV-PG rating, mild swearing is allowed, like "bastard", "crap", "damn", "pissed" or "hell" (the latter four which can also be used, to more limited degree, in TV-G rated programs). The most serious swear words in these ratings are cut out or bleeped, and there are cases where "sh*t" and "ass" were used in the TV-PG rating. More serious swear words like "a*shole" and "b*tch" are allowed in the TV-14 rating. The F-bomb can be used in TV-14 programs, with moderate uses, moreover it is more limited than in the MPA's PG-13 rating. More excessive use of "f**k" generates a TV-MA rating, in which many strong swears are allowed (such as the "c" and "n" words), and strong language may be used frequently. Language is practically unrestricted on TV-MA.