With all of the recent information about the effect of violence in video games upon children (see my blog Does Violence In Video Games Affect Children?) the Senate has initiated a bill mandating that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conduct an investigation into video games backed by both Republicans and Democrats. The Children and Media Research and Advancement Act’s (CAMRA) goal is to “examine the role and positive and negative impact of electronic media in children’s and adolescents’ cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and behavior development.” It also directs the awarding of grants for research into the affects of media violence upon children.
So far attempts at passing legislation to regulate the video game industry and particularly the rating system has failed. Although states have tried to pass laws banning certain video games from being sold to minors judges have overturned the laws stating that there is not enough evidence to support the claims that video game violence actually makes children more violent. While they will agree that the games numb players to real violence and make them less sympathetic there is not a definite enough link between games and increased violent acts in real life. Although I personally believe it is only a matter of time before this link is found and obviously the Senate does as well hence the CAMRA bill.
Currently when video games are submitted for rating the creator submits a short segment that they feel best represents the content of the game for review. The rating board then rates the game according to that content. Now there could be other content within the game that the rating board never sees that would justify a higher rating, such was the case with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The game allowed players to install a game mod that actually allowed them to engage in virtual sex, material that justified way over an R rating.
Unlike movies, that are under three hours, a video game could have hours and hours of different playing footage. Understandably the video game industry balks at having to review a game in its entirety before passing a rating judgment. But the Entertainment Software Rating Board is cracking down on video game creators.
After the fiasco with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas the ESRB has announced that they will impose fines of up to $1 million or even suspend their rating services if companies fail to be honest about the full content of their games. The game in question was removed from the shelves after the true content was revealed. The ESRB is also requiring that all locked-out content, which require a game mod to access, be revealed prior to the rating.
The ESRB is doing their best to regulate the video game industry yet the question about video game and violence is still in many people’s minds. There is also the concern about minors being able to buy games that have an adult rating. Children under the age of 18 aren’t allowed to rent rated R movies so they shouldn’t be allowed to rent or buy M video games either. Hopefully CAMRA will be able to find an undeniable link between violence and video games and the video game industry will be required to accept responsibility for the effect their games have upon children.