Brazil does (at least) a few things better than us here in the U.S. Beaches for one (and I say that as a Gulf Coast native, albeit one for more casual nudity and fewer beer bellies), soccer for another (though we're getting better on that front) — and now Android app ratings. Google today announced that Brazil gets is own "Brazil-specific rating" when it comes to apps in Google Play.
Developers don't actually have to do anything — these new ratings will live side-by-side with the existing ratings. They just make a little more sense.
Here's the deal, as announced in the Google Play developer console:
To help ensure compliance with local regulations, Google Play now includes a Brazil-specific rating on your apps' detail pages. Brazil-specific ratings are automatically created using your apps' existing content ratings on your Developer Console and are displayed for users in Brazil.
An L rating means everything is sunshine and rainbows. A 10 (and this means not recommended for children younger than 10) equals low maturity and may contain violence, criminal acts and legal drugs. The next-highest rating is 14, which equals medium maturity, and the Brazilian ratings top out at 16.
It's actually an interesting look at how recommended ages stand up next to supposed levels of maturity — and Google's support documentation links to the legalese behind it all (PDF).
More: Google Play support
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