FCC cites success of video game rating system

U.S. regulators may consider a single ratings system that would warn parents of programming on television, video games, and wireless telephones that could be inappropriate for children, according to a Bloomberg News report in late August.

Content for everyone

(Credit: ESRB)

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched an inquiry into the universal rating system with a goal "to shield children from inappropriate content in this rapidly changing media environment." That sounds great, but it's something that should be handled by parents and not the federal government.

Accordingly, it's fortunate that in a report this week (PDF) regarding the implementation of the Child Safe Viewing Act, the FCC found that the video game ratings scheme is a success and that "the video game industry already provides one of the most robust voluntary rating systems available." The report also concludes that the variety and variables within each media segment make it extremely difficult to manage.

Taken as a whole, the record indicates that no single parental control technology available today works across all media platforms. Moreover, even within each media platform, these technologies vary greatly with respect to the following criteria: (i) cost to consumers; (ii) level of consumer awareness/promotional and educational efforts; (iii) adoption rate; (iv) customer support; (v) ease of use; (vi) means to prevent children from overriding parental controls; (vii) blocking content/black listing; (viii) selecting content/white listing; (ix) access to multiple ratings systems; (x) parental understanding of ratings systems; (xi) reliance on non-ratings-based system; (xii) ability to monitor usage and view usage history; (xiii) ability to restrict access and usage; (xiv) access to parental controls outside of the home; and (xv) tracking. In addition, a common theme that runs throughout the comments is the need for greater education and media literacy for parents and more effective diffusion of information about the tools available to them. Many commenters urge the government to play a more substantial role in meeting this need.

It's not realistic (or socially correct) for the government to police every piece of content, game or mobile phone application. Self-regulation and parental supervision are far better alternatives to measures that threaten the First Amendment.

This has been proven with video game ratings, managed by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). Video game ratings consist of six age-based ratings along with 30 content descriptors and while some may be applicable to other media types like TV, it's clear from the statement above that parental controls are a better answer. And while I have no doubt that parents could use some help, we should look to self-manage before we let the government further into our media.

Follow me on Twitter @daveofdoom.

[markdoiron]

It's been a while since I've purchased a video game--okay, maybe a couple years. My son is now old enough to make his own decisions (college-aged). But, I just reverified my prior experience with video game ratings on Amazon: The ratings are difficult to learn about online. Look at an Amazon DVD page and you'll see the movie's rating clearly spelled out. But, on an XBox 360 game page, there's no game rating to be found. I see, however, that cNet now includes the game ratings in their product reviews (they did not used to). Anyway, I would say the ratings are a success once every review and advertisement includes the rating. Until then, they still have some room for improvement. --mark d.

[Lerianis3]

Uh, sorry, but every single XBox360 game page I have seen DOES have the game rating on it or an RP if the rating is still pending. It is just a plain old BLUNT lie that they do not have that rating on the pages.

Really, stop worrying about the rating of games. I know MANY children who started playing M or even higher rated games VERY early, and have no problems with being violent in real life. I also know some children who only play E-rated games and are HELLISHLY violent in real life.

[jaguar717]

Does anyone besides the Nanny Statists actually claim any good came of Tipper Gore's censorship campaigns and "Parental Advisory" stickers? Why should such systems for games or wireless phones (seriously?) be any different?

The funny thing is that most people here are at least smart enough to realize that good parents will actually *parent* their kids and deadbeats won't regardless of how much Fedzilla interferes, yet they still keep voting in the same pro-censorship, pro-regulation, pro-control, pro-any-new-meddling-government-agency types like Nancy Pelosi, only to complain when we're saddled with yet another layer of restrictions on our lives.

[PhaseDMA]

Almost every (and ever single major game) has box art on the product pages. The ratings ***always*** sit on the front bottom left of the cover of the game.

If you can't find the rating for a game on a major platform and/or publisher for a game then I'd hate to see you look for the rating for a movie.

[royrusso]

Video game ratings are about as successful as drug laws. Children are able to circumvent the rating system by going in to the black market, ie. torrents.

[Lerianis3]

Actually, most children don't even have to do that. The fact is that most parents, like myself, feel it's just fine to allow their children to play M+ rated games.
Personally, I think that if we had TRUE DISCUSSIONS with children about the fact that it is NOT okay to harm anyone physically in real life, most of the bad stuff we are having today would disappear!

[8301]

Did the FCC cite the success of allowing parents across the country to avoid meaningful dialogue with their children about the content of today's media? Or is it better to just shield them from everything until they're 18, then let them figure it out themselves?

[faceless128]

Yeah, all current systems except the Nintendo DS (hrm, does the DSi have ratings enforcement built in?) have built in ratings enforcement, and Video Games sold at retail have the highest percentage of ratings enforcement out of all media. It's a lot easier for a minor to buy an R or Unrated DVD than a M rated videogame.

[Leonard_at_Verizon]

"Taken as a whole, the record indicates that no single parental control technology available today works across all media platforms."

I think the content-generic and age-appropriate rating system developed by Verizon Wireless which covers media from videos and music to short code message campaigns and blogs is a promising example of what can be done, and deserves further consideration:

http://parentalcontrolcenter.com/?p=16

[Renegade Knight]

"It's not realistic (or socially correct) for the government to police every piece of content, game or mobile phone application. Self-regulation and parental supervision are far better alternatives to measures that threaten the First Amendment."

This is true. The government role would be to force the mess of incompatible systems into a working and consistant whole so thaat the private side could actually do the job they say they are 'doing' but falling short of. Ghe game rating system is ok in that we know what M, and E mean, but electornicly on all content? It's a mess.