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FTC Finds Video Game Industry Helps Families Make Smart Choices about Game Content
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Posted by Steve Crown
Deputy General Counsel
The Federal Trade Commission has just released its biennial report to Congress on “Marketing of Violent Entertainment to Children” by the motion picture, music recording and video game industries.
Microsoft and other members of the video game industry take seriously the issue of gaming safety, so we are pleased that the FTC recognized the progress our industry has made as we work to help families make smart decisions about game content. The FTC concluded that the video game industry’s rating system, administered by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), is particularly useful. The report found that “87% of consumers with children who play video games are aware of the ESRB system, and 76% check the rating every time or most of the time when buying and renting games.” Game ratings range from “E,” meaning a game is suitable for everyone, to “AO,” meaning a game is suitable for adults only.
Still, as the Commission also noted, educating parents is only part of the battle. So it is great to see that, according to the report, video game retailers are enforcing the ratings system by checking IDs and preventing under-age kids from purchasing mature-rated games.
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