I need five minutes of your time today.
The FCC has opened a public comment period on the Television Parental Guidelines (TV ratings) system. If parents and families don’t speak up, the status quo will stand. Please take a few minutes to file a comment and share this alert with your friends, family, and networks.
The FCC issued a Public Notice asking the public what changes should be made so the ratings system actually helps parents. This only matters if the record is full of real parent voices.
Our December research found that 41% of G-rated series and 41% of TV-Y7-rated series on Netflix contained LGBTQ+ messages, themes, characters, or content without clear disclosure that would alert parents to this kind of content.
And the problem isn’t limited to one platform. Parents across the country are finding that shows rated for children can include themes and messaging that families reasonably want to know about before their kids watch, yet the rating often doesn’t tell the full story. That lack of transparency takes decision-making power away from parents.
A ratings system should serve families, not the entertainment industry. Today, the same industry that produces the content largely controls how that content is rated. The TV Ratings Monitoring Board is made up almost entirely of network executives and Hollywood trade and lobby groups while the voices of parents and child advocates are minimal. The result is a system that can create a false sense of security instead of meaningful guidance.
America’s families deserve better, and the FCC needs to hear it directly from us.
Action requested: File a public comment in response to the FCC’s Public Notice on reforming the TV Parental Guidelines.
Deadline: Initial comments are due May 22, 2026 (reply comments due June 22, 2026).
How to file a comment (it only takes a few minutes):
- It’s very easy to submit an express comment to the FCC: just use the form below or click on this link — the docket number is already auto-filled. Enter your name and contact information (you can file as an individual).
- Paste your comment (even a short, personal message matters). Do you have a personal story to share? A time when you felt like a program’s ratings misled you about the content? Were you ever surprised to find strong sexual situations or language in a program you thought was safe for your child to watch?
- Submit—and then forward this email/letter to 3–5 friends and ask them to comment, too.
What to say (suggested points you can personalize):
- The TV ratings should provide parents clear, consistent, and meaningful information, not vague labels that miss important content.
- Parents deserve transparency about themes and topics commonly present in children’s programming so families can make informed choices.
- Oversight should include independent experts and representatives of parents and child advocates, not be dominated by the same industry being rated.
- Any updated system should be easy to understand, applied consistently across platforms (broadcast, cable, streaming), and designed to empower parental choice.
Here’s what we’re asking you to do before May 22:
- File your own FCC comment (even a few sentences make a difference).
- Recruit at least five others to comment—forward this letter and ask them to submit a comment by May 22.
- Share a short post on your social channels encouraging parents to weigh in during the FCC comment window.
Thank you for speaking up. When agencies review the record, they count comments, and they read real stories. Please don’t wait until the deadline.
Support FCC Efforts to Strengthen the TV Ratings System for Parents
I need five minutes of your time today.
The FCC has opened a public comment period on the Television Parental Guidelines (TV ratings) system. If parents and families don’t speak up, the status quo will stand. Please take a few minutes to file a comment and share this alert with your friends, family, and networks.
The FCC issued a Public Notice asking the public what changes should be made so the ratings system actually helps parents. This only matters if the record is full of real parent voices.
Our December research found that 41% of G-rated series and 41% of TV-Y7-rated series on Netflix contained LGBTQ+ messages, themes, characters, or content without clear disclosure that would alert parents to this kind of content.
And the problem isn’t limited to one platform. Parents across the country are finding that shows rated for children can include themes and messaging that families reasonably want to know about before their kids watch, yet the rating often doesn’t tell the full story. That lack of transparency takes decision-making power away from parents.
A ratings system should serve families, not the entertainment industry. Today, the same industry that produces the content largely controls how that content is rated. The TV Ratings Monitoring Board is made up almost entirely of network executives and Hollywood trade and lobby groups while the voices of parents and child advocates are minimal. The result is a system that can create a false sense of security instead of meaningful guidance.
America’s families deserve better, and the FCC needs to hear it directly from us.
Action requested: File a public comment in response to the FCC’s Public Notice on reforming the TV Parental Guidelines.
Deadline: Initial comments are due May 22, 2026 (reply comments due June 22, 2026).
How to file a comment (it only takes a few minutes):
What to say (suggested points you can personalize):
Here’s what we’re asking you to do before May 22:
Thank you for speaking up. When agencies review the record, they count comments, and they read real stories. Please don’t wait until the deadline.
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