PICS Label? ICRA? RSAC? What's that?

  • PICS - Platform for Internet Content Selection
  • ICRA - Internet Content Rating Association
  • RSAC - Recreational Software Advisory Council

ICRA (formerly RSAC) is an organization that collects ratings from Internet sites.   The ratings cover several categories: violence, nudity and sexual material, language, chat and other topics including the promotion of gambling, weapons or discrimination against people.

Webmasters may register their sites at www.icra.org to receive a line of code called a PICS tag.   The tag is placed into the HTML of a web page.   When a browser configured with content controls is used to open the page, the controls will check the tag to determine what questionable content, if any, appears on the page.   Based on the level of the controls, the browser will then know whether to allow the viewer access to the page.

Microsoft Interent Explorer can be configured to read PICS tags.   Home systems used by children are often equipped with software that will not permit a connection to sites without a PICS label.   This can also stop adults from visiting your site unless the feature blocking unrated sites is inactivated.

While these ratings are of concern to parents with children who use the Internet, they are also important to commercial sites.   More and more businesses are using software that prevents employees from surfing pornographic or adult content sites in the workplace.

By taking the time to obtain ICRA ratings for your sites, we work to ensure the availability of your site at both business and home locations.   Please call if you have any questions.

Visit ICRA's website for more detailed information on the rating system.

ICRA