Game On

Print

01/07/08

The Times, 30 June, reported that Electronic Arts (EA) is arguing against recommendations that the Cinema style rating by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) should be applied to computer games for under 18 year olds. EA maintains that the current voluntary, self-regulatory PEGI (Pan-European Game Information age rating system) scheme isn’t confusing and should instead have legal reinforcement. EA, which makes about one in five of the games sold in the UK, is challenging a report by Tanya Byron, parenting guru and columnist who published the study in March, after being asked by the Prime Minister to look into internet safety for parents and children under 18.  Ministers are now considering how to implement recommendations in the “Byron Review”, which also suggested lessons on internet security including how much  personal information to give out; positioning computers in a public area of the home and tougher sanctions on retailers who sell ‘adult-only’ games to children. The UK is the biggest single games market in Europe – Brits bought £1.7 billion worth of video games last year.

18rating2