In 1968, Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), created the Classification and Ratings Administration (CARA) in an effort to reduce the amount of objectionable material in the films. Before 1968, the MPAA required all films to follow Production Code guidelines. The Production Code stipulated what was and was not appropriate to appear in films. In 1966, the MPAA elected Jack Valenti president and he changed the code to a rating system based on the amount of objectionable content in a film. The grading system has gone through several changes up to the current grading system. Controversy arose when The Weinstein Co.'s film Blue Valentine received an NC-17 rating for a sexually explicit scene involving the film's main characters. The controversy over the film's rating has raised the question of the effectiveness of the MPAA rating system. Critics were already questioning the MPAA's effectiveness, but the recent controversy has helped spark these questions. The rating system that the MPAA applies to films is ineffective. The MPAA rating system is outdated. Recent technological advances allow children to watch films regardless of rating. The rating system worked well in the early years, but recently, "kids are gravitating toward the movies they want to see." . . . They also see them at home on widely available DVDs, on cable, and through popular streaming services like Netflix and Amazon” (Ebert 2). Even when kids go to the theater to see movies, they can "theater skip" or buy a ticket to a low-rated movie and squeeze in the R-rated movie of their choice. Both DVDs and the Internet provide ways for children to watch films containing objectionable material. Websites that offer middle of paper ...... do not limit violence in films as much as sexual content, they allow young children to be exposed to violent content, which could have serious consequences. consequences on the child's future. The MPAA rating system used to be a good source for people to know whether a film would contain immoral or violent images; currently, the system has grown to the point of becoming ineffective in today's society. Society changes just like cinema; the content and subject matter have changed for films of this generation. If the system is not changed, it will not help parents know which films are appropriate for their children to watch. Due to the influence and prevalence of films in our society and culture today, a rating system is important. If this system does not fulfill its duty, the negative influence that films can have on the children and young people of tomorrow will be great...