Key Moments:
- Brazil’s revised Content Rating System now encompasses digital apps, online platforms, and interactive games
- A new age category, “Not Recommended for Children Under 6,” has been introduced, expanding the official classification scale to seven levels
- Digital interactivity, including risks such as algorithmic manipulation and in-app purchases, is now included as a key rating criterion
Significant Expansion of Content Rating Coverage
Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), working under the National Secretariat for Digital Rights (Sedigi), has implemented a comprehensive update of the nation’s Content Rating System (Classificação Indicativa). For the first time, the framework now extends regulatory oversight to digital applications and online platforms, representing a crucial advance in safeguarding children and adolescents in the digital space.
New Age Classification and Regulatory Guidelines
With the introduction of Ordinance No. 1.048/2025, a new age rating, “Not Recommended for Children Under 6,” has been established. This addition extends the classification system to seven distinct categories: All Ages (Livre), 6, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 years. The ordinance aims to inform families in advance, helping them make appropriate choices regarding digital and entertainment content for their children.
Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski emphasized the policy’s significance, stating, “Today, we celebrate an important step with the signature of this ordinance. The new age category strengthens the protection of early childhood, a most important stage of human development“. He further noted the strategy’s role in aligning local practices with international standards: “The Content Rating policy is one of the most important layers of defense, warning families whether content is suitable for children in their care“.
| Content Rating Level | Description |
|---|---|
| All Ages (Livre) | Suitable for all audiences |
| 6 | Not recommended for children under 6 |
| 10 | Not recommended for children under 10 |
| 12 | Not recommended for children under 12 |
| 14 | Not recommended for children under 14 |
| 16 | Not recommended for children under 16 |
| 18 | Not recommended for children under 18 |
Addressing Digital Risks and Interactivity
A critical element of the reform is the incorporation of digital interactivity into the evaluation process. For the first time, factors such as contact with strangers, unintended purchases within apps, algorithmic influences, and interactions with artificial intelligence are considered in determining age suitability. Sedigi acting secretary Ricardo Horta explained the importance of this development: “a large part of the risks that children are subject to online do not come from the content that appears, but from digital platforms’ functionalities and interactions.”
Horta further noted, “Previously, the studies were concerned with topics such as violence, sex, or drugs“, and elaborated that new risks now stem from features such as contact between adults and children within games, or algorithms recommending inappropriate material.
Comprehensive Inclusion of Digital Platforms
The updated ordinance marks the first time that all forms of online games and web-based content fall entirely under Brazil’s age rating measures. Coverage now includes computer games (web-based and offline), mobile apps, social media, and interactive interfaces that allow content sharing or communication between users.
Product developers, together with the Ministry of Justice, are required to assign either definitive or temporary ratings, depending on the nature of the product. Ratings must be visibly presented in online marketplaces, websites, and download portals, ensuring consumers have transparent information at the point of access.
This initiative represents a significant shift in Brazil’s digital policy, aligning child protection strategies with the realities of modern technology. By integrating concerns around interactivity and artificial intelligence, authorities aim to proactively counter new digital threats and strike a balance between safety, technological innovation, and parental guidance.
Global Implications
The approach serves as a potential model for other nations seeking to apply established regulatory standards to the rapidly changing digital landscape, ensuring that child protection stays in step with advancements in technology.
- Author
Daniel Williams
