A study published in December found that the level of gun violence in the most popular PG-13 rated movies has been increasing, and now exceeds the level of gun violence in the most popular R-rated movies, the New York Times reports.
The study, published in the December 2013 issue of Pediatrics, found that instances of gun violence had risen steadily in PG-13 films since the introduction of the PG-13 rating about 30 years ago. In the most popular PG-13 and R-rated films, episodes of gun violence occurred more than twice an hour on average.
A PG-13 rating cautions parents that the movie contains some material that may be inappropriate for children. Children under 17 cannot see an R-rated movie unless accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.
