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Legally enforced ratings system for UK?
Author: Joe MartinPublished: 12th February 2008
Dr. Tanya Byron has been commissioned by the government to draft a report on the games industry.
Speculation on such a system has been rife ever since Dr. Tanya Byron was commissioned by the government to head up a report into the games industry under the following brief;
“Draw on advice from industry experts and engage a wide range of industry and regulatory bodies. [The report] will be jointly sponsored by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.”
You may remember Dr. Byron from TV's Little Angels and The House of Tiny Tearaways. The Byron report is due out next month.
While publications such as MCV have speculated on the side of melodrama and talked of fears that Gordon Brown will start an aggressive crackdown on games, The Guardian is a little more realistic and discusses legally enforceable ratings as the likely result.
One thing not discussed by the newspaper however is who will actually issue new ratings. The BBFC is an obvious candidate, but that may not go down well with gamers who recall the Manhunt 2 fiasco. Still, a solid and legal ratings system may not be a totally bad thing and should help keep inappropriate content out of the hands of children.
What do you think of ratings system and their place in interactive media? Let us know in the forums.
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Comments (26)
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QFT!
Which often translates to, you screamed into my head, now imma put a bullet in yours.
Children that are too young for the kind of content that requires a certificate are more than likely going to get the game bought for them anyway (as there pocket money might not streach to £50) so this leaves the responsibility down to the parents. Even if a child buys a game that they are too young to play surely they are not going to go to the extent to hide the case and only play it at night when mum and dad are asleep. Parents need to spend more time with their kids and pay attention to what games they like / dislike and maybe even start playing the games with them (go on parents have a laugh).
People are to quick to blame everyone else before themselves. Stating that you need the goverment to do the parenting work for you is basically saying YOU ARE NOT FIT TO HAVE CHILDREN. End of story.
Hardly difficult.
I hope the UK games companies will not jump to attack this like in the US which is just stupid and damages games and gamers more. Oh and I hope that Co*kstar don't get involved as they will screw up up for the own dubious publicity.
One major flaw is of course that half the staff at pcworld/game/currys etc are under 18 themselves so wont be able to sell games with an enforced age limit.
They should still maintain the power to ban games however or force major changes if they deem them to be unacceptable, much like they do with films
Amen to that - keep children out of games they shouldn't be playing but allow freedom of choice for us adults.
Voluntary IIRC. It's why I'm looking at a desk drawer full of PEGI rated games, a handful of ESRB rated and only one or two BBFC. Usually ones which go for BBFC rating are the really mature ones who don't want to mess around and have to deal with all the screaming parents because they can just say "Check the gorram label."
Problem is, if you apply for BBFC rating and they give you a ban or 18 then it becomes legally enforceable. You can't apply for BBFC rating and then change your mind once you get an 18 cert.
Double Amen!
A legally enforced rating systems is a *far* better method than an all out ban in the hopes that material and content does not filter down to the underaged.
True, like others have said, the actualy *enforcing* of it will no doubt have the same efficiency as underaged drinking and purchasing fags, but I suppose the main point is that a system is in place that a) allows us adults the freedom to choose while b) ensuring that parents, albeit those with *some* idea of parenting, can be made aware of the ramifications of not doing their job. Again, what exactly those "ramifications" are I have no idea... if it's anything like what happens to groups of yobs getting caught for drinking it simply means pouring the drink away and a, "Roight, off ya go".
Enforceable ratings sounds good to me.
Shame it would never be fully upheld in england, just look at all the chavs with fags and booze :p
quadruple amen.
QFT
I know, sadly, that this system doesn't stop parents buying their underage children alcohol (I've seen them try it countless times, and been threatened with legal action, and violence over it), and have doubts as to its ability to stop them buying underage games. But then, if they complained and made a big deal about it - Surely they'd be the ones taken to court and no one else?
Yes, it sucks for you 17 year olds used to playing 18 rated games, but hey. You'll probably con your parents into buying it for you =P
I currently am employed by Gamestation in the UK.
There exists already a legal framework to prevent underage persons buying games which are classified, monitored by the BBFC.
If i sell an age-rated game to a minor i may face a custodial/fine/community sentence. As well as losing my job and having a criminal record.
The people responsible for minors obtaining age-rated products is the parents. We turn away many each day trying to buy 18 rated products with a combination of sex/violence/swearing and it is the ignorant minority who do not abide by these rules.
DO SOME RESEARCH
LAZY LAZY LAZY
READ THE THREAD!!!11111
If its the former, this entire thing is pretty null because most shops that sell "optionally enforced" games still demand ID (at least where i live), And then parents will just buy the games for the children, and nothing much changes
Of course the BBFC's game rating methods would have to be improved, like actually playing the game say, instead of merely watching video of it being played.
Fair point, obviously they would need more staff (volunteers if I remember correctly) and how many people here would apply for that position just to play through potentially uncensored pre-release games? I for one would be glad to give up some of my "spare time" that would usually be wasted playing games... errr...
from the bbfc website:
[QUOTE=]How can I become an examiner?
The BBFC endeavours to employ examiners from a wide variety of backgrounds. A broad knowledge of film or digital media is required, as well as an ability to grasp classification issues such as violence, imitable behaviour, sexual portrayal and drugs. The Board is also looking for an understanding of child development and an interest in effects and opinion evidence. The BBFC is unable to employ anyone under the age of 18 on account of their possible exposure to age -restricted material while working here. A reasonable balance is kept between men and women, and the Board includes examiners of various ethnic backgrounds, in part to help deal with foreign language films and videos, where a knowledge of the culture of the country is as important as fluency in the language. Recruitment is through advertisement in the national press and on the BBFC website.[/QUOTE]
Bring it on and watch for the employment adds :D:D:D:D:D