What is a .RAT file?
The .RAT file extension stands for a "PICS Rating File." This type of file is associated with the PICS (Platform for Internet Content Selection) system, which was designed to help categorize and rate the content of websites. The ratings focus on different types of explicit material, such as language, sexual content, and violence. The purpose of these files is to provide a way to filter and block access to websites that contain certain types of content based on these ratings.
.RAT files are simple text files, which means they can be opened and edited with any basic text editor like Notepad or TextEdit. However, they are specifically used by certain programs to implement content filtering. One such program is Microsoft Content Advisor, which is a component of Internet Explorer. This tool uses the ratings defined in .RAT files to prevent access to websites that do not meet specified criteria, effectively acting as a parental control or content blocking system.
To use a .RAT file with Microsoft Content Advisor, you typically need to double-click the file. This action installs the rating system onto your computer, and it starts to block or allow access to websites based on the rules defined in the file.
It's important to note that while the PICS system and .RAT files were once more commonly supported, they are not widely used today. However, Internet Explorer's Content Advisor still supports the use of PICS .RAT files for those who need to implement this type of content filtering.
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