The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and CTIA, a wireless industry association, have announced a plan to bring ratings to mobile apps. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon, Microsoft and others have agreed to a plan that would give apps ratings similar to those that appear on video games.
Developers would be asked to fill out a questionnaire that seeks to determine whether apps contain references to sex, violence, drugs, foul language or other content deemed inappropriate for young children. The apps would then receive an age-related rating.
However, neither Apple nor Google have signed up to participate in the ratings program. Experts wonder if the program will be successful without the two biggest app stores participating.
