A parental advisory label has a very distinct look, and you already know what it looks like: a black-and-white sticker on a music album that reads "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content”. But do you know what it is, and why it exists?

What Is Parental Advisory?

Parental advisory is a warning sign on music albums to indicate to parents that the music album contains explicit content. This could be strong or vulgar language, violent themes, sexual content, or references to substance abuse. The label serves as a heads-up, and parents determine whether an album is appropriate or not to be listened to by their children beforehand.

Where Did It Come From?

The parental advisory label dates back to the mid 1980s. It came after the increasing public anxiety regarding the type of content children were being exposed to by means of music. The label was formally introduced by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1985, together with parent and community groups. The little black-and-white sticker has since become one of the most well-known icons in the music industry.

Does It Actually Help?

The label has a purpose; it provides parents with information to make informed decisions. Nevertheless, it has limitations as well. On the one hand, it does not tell what type of explicit material is there. In the streaming age, a physical album cover is not only not seen by many listeners, but the label is also forgotten or skipped over.

Going Beyond the Label

The sticker on an album cover can only do so much. In the modern digital era, children are exposed to music, videos, and content on innumerable platforms - many of which do not have any warning labels in view.

It is where Saferloop comes in. Saferloop is a parental control application that assists parents to take actual action - filtering unsuitable content, establishing screen time constraints, and tracking what their children are viewing online. It is like the parental advisory label, but much more effective.

Because keeping kids safe shouldn't rely on a sticker.