Family Group Releases Annual Games Report Card 72
The National Institute on Media and the Family has released their annual 'report card' for the videogames industry. Brian Crecente has some great commentary on the release, which he refers to as 'increasingly out-dated and unnecessary, something that probably explains the desperate tone of this year's report'. "What's interesting is that the summary cites very specific examples for the positive, such as Target removing Manhunt 2 from shelves after finding AO content was viewable with a hack, or that GameStop has started firing people for selling M-rated games to minors, but doesn't really do the same for the negative. Instead [NIMF's David Walsh] writes that 'Complacency, especially on the part of retailers and parents, appears to have caused a backslide in ratings awareness and enforcement.'" The ESRB was quick to point out the flaws in the group's assertions, while a UK study indicates that some 75% of parents are worried about the games their kids play.
Then 75% of parent's (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
you sir, are clearly a terrorist.
Re:Then 75% of parent's (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
True enough. However....
The problem I forsee is that while parents might be able to ensure their kids only play appropriate games at home, it is very difficult to do the same at the homes of their children's friends, where a different set of parents (or older siblings) are the responsible parties. It is entirely possible that a 15 year old kid, or some well-meaning, but "hands-off" pare
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I expect that most people, if they thought that the other adult in question would NEED to be advised to keep the child away from violent or pornographic media, just wouldn't allow their children to visit. That is not where I see the potential problem.
The issue is where the adults
Re: (Score:2)
Exactly. The problem is when people have children but are unwilling or incapable of putting in that level of work and personal involvement.
And, sadly enough, such cases are commonplace.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Seriously? You expect that the parents of a ten year old will say things like, "Hey, Chuck, you're not going to let my kid watch any porn, are you?"
Being a "responsible parent" isn't hard because parents don't want to do right by their kids. It's hard because they have differing
Re: (Score:1)
Re:Then 75% of parent's (Score:4, Interesting)
That being said I would like to see better parental controls in game systems. An access allow/deny list type thing would work perfectly if added into the xbox style profiles. Give each person in the house a profile, perhaps with a password and choose to allow all access or only certain games to each profile. This would prevent a child who was able to buy/borrow/rent a mature game from a store that did not care the ability to play it. This is not to say good parenting can be replaced with a switch on the game system (which is how most parents would treat it I'm sure), it would be a reliable extra step to make sure kids dont play adult games in my house however.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
When I was little (like, 6 years old) I asked my dad about various board games that we had in the cupboard. I remember asking whether we could play Monopoly, and he said not yet, but that I could play it when I was older. I thought it must have boobs or something in it. Imagine my disappointment...
Re: (Score:2)
Ratings systems (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Ratings systems (Score:5, Insightful)
Absolutely, but there is nothing wrong with a rating system in general. As a parent, am I expected to keep up on every game for the game platform(s) in my household. Suppose walking through the store one day a child sees a game on sale and wants it. The child has been behaving and doing extra chores, and I feel buying a game for him/her is not out of the question. If there is no rating system, I have little choice but to say "No", or at least "Not yet", and go home and research the game before returning to the store to purchase it, or another instead.
As a parent I'm all for the rating system and fining retailers for not enforcing them. If, as a parent, I feel its okay for my child to play a game rated for older than he/she is, then I will go to the store with said child and purchase it for them. This is not a big deal to me, and certainly preferrable to my child doing hookers and mugging them afterwards in a game, when they're too young to even know what sex is.
When my children are old enough for games, they will only be playing them in common areas of the house so we can monitor what they are playing. But as much as you try to, you can't watch what they're doing 24/7.
Re: (Score:1)
I also see a problem with you wanting to watch your kid 24/7. You don't trust your kid? You don't think you would have done a good enough job raising them? You can't let them outside their bubble, so that maybe they see the world i
Re: (Score:1)
So, you just don't want to do the research? Nevermind that your kid probably knows before you leave what game he'd want.
I don't mind doing the research at all. If my child comes up to me and asks if I'll get him a specific game for his birthday or Christmas or something, I have time to do the research before hand. However, there isn't always the opportunity to do the research beforehand.
What about parents who have kids in the 14-17 range? Should they have to buy the game for their kid, even if they d
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Who are you to tell another person how they should be raising their child? If another parent feels comfortable enough to let their kid make their own decision about what game to get, what gives you the right to force them to do more effort?
As far as watching my kid 24/7, you're taking a very literal approach to what I said. Of course I don't expect to, or even want to watch my children every moment of their lives, but I do have a desire to protect them and only in
Re: (Score:1)
Who are you to tell another person how they should be raising their child? If another parent feels comfortable enough to let their kid make their own decision about what game to get, what gives you the right to force them to do more effort?
I'm not telling anyone how to raise their child. They are free to allow (or disallow) there child to play any game they want. I'm sorry if you feel that a parent spending some time with their child is such an enormous effort.
It seems to me that if a child should stu
Re: (Score:2)
You're forcing them to buy something for their kid, which they would perfer having their kid purchase themself.
I'm sorry if you feel that a parent spending some time with their child is such an enormous effort.
When said "child" is 15 or 16, its natural that they become more independant. Your wish to force a rating system is forcing the kid to be more dependant that the parent wishes
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
I'm neither. I do resent though be carded to buy a game. I also resent that games are toned down to fit into some box, and that other games are never even created at all because of console maker rules. You chose to have kids, yet more and more that choice is affecting my life and freedom. Ratings systems lead to censorship, I don't appreciate that. Nor do I apprecate having to jump through hoops because you would rather a ratings system so you don't have to research. What's worse is that you are willing to do the work, you'd just rather not.
Sorry, your argument, though well formed, has a few discrepencies.
I'm going to assume that you are old enough to purchase your own titles (up to AO) since going to the store with your parent to purchase a title doesn't seem to be much of a hoop to jump through. With that said, what is so difficult about presenting your identification? Unless you carry cash everywhere, you should want to do it (for security reasons) when you make a credit card purchase or cut a check. Do you also resent being carded t
Re: (Score:2)
In a free society, a free person shouldn't have to prove to his goverment that he is allowed to view some content.
Unless you carry cash everywhere, you should want to do it (for security reasons) when you make a credit card purchase or cut a check.
No one checks ID for credit cards, and i don't use checks because they are inconvient and slower than a check card. I don't have a worry about fraud, because I watch my statement and report
Re: (Score:2)
Then you are not very perceptive.
There are good reasons to have gun toting government enforcers walking around.
There are also bad reasons to send gun toting government enforcers walking around.
This falls in the latter category.
There is no law to enforce movie ratings. Where does anyone get the loopy idea that it would be a good or appropriate idea to send gun toting government enforcers around trying to enforce REPEATE
Re: (Score:1)
And while you're at it, why don't you explain it to me why you are are unable to be a parent to your kids? If I tell my kid he's not allowed to eat Twinkies, then I damn well expect him not to buy Twinkies.
If you can honestly say that your child has never disobeyed a rule you've given him, your child is either so scared of you as to make you an unfit parent, or your living in some sort of fantasy world.
Re: (Score:2)
He didn't say that at all. He made a lot of valid points in my opinion, but you just ignored them all and made up something out of thin air to disagree with. That's odd.
And if I do find a box of Twinkies under my kid's bed [after telling him not to eat the] then I'm damn well going to deal with it... and I won't need any police assistance
Hmm, it's almost like the poster is explaining that he would deal with disobedience without police as
Re: (Score:2)
I did not say that.
Did you stop reading my post when you reached to that sentence? Because I addressed exactly that issue. I'll just copy past the rest of my post after that sentence, and specifically highlight the portions answering exactly that:
I don't expect the police to go around pointing a gun at the local supermarket cashier "helping" me. And if I do find a box of Twinkies under my kid's bed then I'm damn well going to
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, they do. Even parking tickets are ultimately enforced by "gun toting".
If you decline to pay the fine "gun toting" will eventually seize assets and/or lock you in a cell.
I'm no radical libertarian, but I do understand and assert that ALL laws are ultimately "enforced by gun toting". There are all sorts of things we would like to achieve, but using the law to enforce achieving that result ultimately requires presuming the authority to point guns at pe
Re: (Score:2)
Don't be so naïve. It's not about trust, it's about authority. If the console is in the main room, it's like a warning label that screams "You're gonna get caught if you try". And they will (one way or another), and they'll meet your authority. If a child wants their own game system, they can earn it by demonstrating responsibility in one way or another. In other words, it's part of raising them.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Absolutely, but there is nothing wrong with a rating system in general.
Indeed, this is rather true. Ratings systems have their uses; however, it is important for them to be used appropriately. It does not good to rate things if PARENTS are not willing or incapable of using the system to ASSIST in determining what their child should/can play or watch.
As a parent, am I expected to keep up on every game for the game platform(s) in my household...If there is no rating system, I have little choice but to say "No", or at least "Not yet", and go home and research the game before returning to the store to purchase it, or another instead.
You should be going home and researching the game anyway. Ratings systems are not a catch-all, and they can only be used as a guide to assist a parent in making a decision. It is pretty clear that all 'R' rated movies are not
So 75% of parents need help parenting (Score:4, Insightful)
a) haven't taught them to listen to you when it comes to not playing certain games
b) haven't bothered to look at what games your kids play to begin with
c) don't trust your kids to not be adversely affected by the games they *do* play
d) haven't a freaking clue about games, period, and don't understand that they don't affect your kids in any harmful way unless there's some other serious issues that need looking into in the first place.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
If asked if you are concerned about the types and content of games your kids play, I think most parents would say yes. If asked if you are worried about your kids playing violent video games,
Re: (Score:2)
Why are violent games controversial? (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
No kidding. Where the hell am I going to get a camel?
-
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
No they don't. "Enhanced interrogation techniques" are not torture as long as the President says they're not. By law. And the law is just because John McCain said it was a landmark victory against torture. McCain wouldn't sell out on torture, now, would he?
PAIN! (Score:2)
BTW, it's the funniest game I've played in years, literally gut-busting LOL.
Nice to see Parental Involvement rated. (Score:2, Insightful)
Excellent Buying Guide (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Unlike DVD's (Score:1)
You have to compare video games to some other form or entertainment to actually get some perception on it. You can get both movies for children and adults in the same format that play on the same DVD player. Somehow people have managed to figure out the difference be
Interesting implication (Score:1, Flamebait)
Concerned != worried (Score:5, Insightful)
Of course parents are concerned. Any responsible parent would be. But that's not the interesting question. The interesting question is "Do you feel that you have access to enough information ensure that the games your kids own meet your standards for content?" Put that question in your survey and smoke it, why don't you!
I'll always be concerned at one level or another about what's in the media my kids consume, but I'm not worried about it in the slightest.
The full NIMF report card (Score:2, Informative)
Their main gripes about the ESRB seem to focus on children somehow getting to Adults Only (AO) content in M
But, you know... (Score:2)
We should ban violent games, like the FDA does (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
1. Violent computer games are fiction, and don't kill.
2. It is entirely legal to sell many substances that will kill you if eaten, the problem and danger is in labelling such a substance as "food", which would be
Anyone seen this one? (Score:2)
Done by John Davidson previously of Ziff / 1up fame, seems to summarise games into who they are suitable for and what they contain.
Also seems to be quite unbiased to boot, no leaning towards any system / developer, probably a good thing.
This is what happens... (Score:2)
There needs to be a legal prohibition against anyone holding political office over the age of 40. Churchill was right when he said that the mind's proclivity towards fascism generally increases with age. The single main problem wi
Can't really disagree with the report card (Score:1)