V-Chip

In Section 551 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress gave the broadcasting industry the first opportunity to establish voluntary ratings for television programs. The industry established a system for rating programs that contain sexual, violent, or other material that parents might deem inappropriate and committed to voluntarily broadcast signals containing these ratings.

In 1998, the FCC adopted rules requiring all television sets with picture screens 13 inches or larger to be equipped with features to block the display of television programming based upon its content rating. This technology is known as the V-chip. The V-chip reads information that is encoded in the rated program and blocks programs from the set, based upon the rating that is selected by the parent.

The FCC required half of all new television models 13 inches or larger that were manufactured after July 1, 1999 and all sets 13 inches or larger that were manufactured after January 1, 2000 to have V-chip technology. In addition, set-top boxes are available that enable consumers to use V-chip technology on their existing sets.