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| Review 'to change games ratings' | Review 'to change games ratings' |
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| The video game ratings system should be revamped to make it easier for parents and children to understand, a UK government-backed review has said. | The video game ratings system should be revamped to make it easier for parents and children to understand, a UK government-backed review has said. |
| The review was carried out by psychologist Dr Tanya Byron, who has recommended a new rating for games aimed at children aged 12 plus. | The review was carried out by psychologist Dr Tanya Byron, who has recommended a new rating for games aimed at children aged 12 plus. |
| Games currently get a mandatory review by classifiers only if they have "human sexual activity" or "gross violence". | Games currently get a mandatory review by classifiers only if they have "human sexual activity" or "gross violence". |
| Dr Byron has also called for a UK body to oversee children's internet safety. | Dr Byron has also called for a UK body to oversee children's internet safety. |
| Schools secretary Ed Balls told BBC News 24 that the government was going to implement all of the recommendations in full. | Schools secretary Ed Balls told BBC News 24 that the government was going to implement all of the recommendations in full. |
| "It's a ground breaking report," he said. | "It's a ground breaking report," he said. |
| He said the government would ensure that websites and hardware manufacturers gave better guidance to parents about safety features and controls. | He said the government would ensure that websites and hardware manufacturers gave better guidance to parents about safety features and controls. |
| Dr Byron said her review had led her to conclude that parents' general lack of confidence and awareness was "leaving children vulnerable to risks within their digital worlds". | Dr Byron said her review had led her to conclude that parents' general lack of confidence and awareness was "leaving children vulnerable to risks within their digital worlds". |
| Her review said that "digital world risks are similar to real world risks but can be enhanced by the anonymity and ubiquity that the online space brings". | Her review said that "digital world risks are similar to real world risks but can be enhanced by the anonymity and ubiquity that the online space brings". |
| Voluntary system | Voluntary system |
| Each year the industry submits about 100 games for review by the British Board of Film Classification. | Each year the industry submits about 100 games for review by the British Board of Film Classification. |
| Dr Tanya Byron is a well-known psychologist | Dr Tanya Byron is a well-known psychologist |
| The introduction of a statutory requirement to classify games for children aged 12 plus will see the workload of the BBFC increase dramatically. | The introduction of a statutory requirement to classify games for children aged 12 plus will see the workload of the BBFC increase dramatically. |
| The games industry also adheres to a voluntary European ratings system called Pegi. It means some games can have two differing ratings from the two bodies. | The games industry also adheres to a voluntary European ratings system called Pegi. It means some games can have two differing ratings from the two bodies. |
| Dr Byron has said games should have just one set of symbols from the BBFC on the front of all boxes which are the same as those for films. | Dr Byron has said games should have just one set of symbols from the BBFC on the front of all boxes which are the same as those for films. |
| Pegi ratings will now appear on the back of boxes. | Pegi ratings will now appear on the back of boxes. |
| Many in the games industry had been hoping the review would favour the Pegi self-regulatory system over the BBFC system. | Many in the games industry had been hoping the review would favour the Pegi self-regulatory system over the BBFC system. |
| "We're very happy with the proposals but feel it could have gone a bit futher," said Keith Ramsdale, of giant games publisher Electronic Arts. | "We're very happy with the proposals but feel it could have gone a bit futher," said Keith Ramsdale, of giant games publisher Electronic Arts. |
| "We were very clear, unanimously clear as an industry, that we want a single system and using Pegi as that single system will make that much clearer to the consumer. | "We were very clear, unanimously clear as an industry, that we want a single system and using Pegi as that single system will make that much clearer to the consumer. |
| FROM THE DOT.LIFE BLOG You have to feel sorry for the video games industry Darren Waters, technology editor BBC News website class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2008/03/classifying_the_classifiers.html">Read Darren's thoughts in full "We don't believe it needs to be legislative; we believe it could be self-regulatory, with some very sharp teeth." | |
| Dr Byron's report has said the online industry needs to take greater responsibility when it comes to policing content posted to websites, such as video sites and social networks. | Dr Byron's report has said the online industry needs to take greater responsibility when it comes to policing content posted to websites, such as video sites and social networks. |
| She has recommended codes of practice for the industry, which should be independently monitored. | She has recommended codes of practice for the industry, which should be independently monitored. |
| The review has also recommended: | The review has also recommended: |
| • The creation of a website for parents where they can find our more information about online safety | • The creation of a website for parents where they can find our more information about online safety |
| • A comprehensive public information and awareness campaign on child internet safety | • A comprehensive public information and awareness campaign on child internet safety |
| • Clear and consistent guidance for industry on how games should be advertised | • Clear and consistent guidance for industry on how games should be advertised |
| • High profile efforts to increase parents understanding of age ratings and improved parental controls | • High profile efforts to increase parents understanding of age ratings and improved parental controls |
| The review's publication follows a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) which says many young people are effectively being "raised online", spending in excess of 20 hours a week using sites such as Bebo, Myspace, Facebook and YouTube. | The review's publication follows a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) which says many young people are effectively being "raised online", spending in excess of 20 hours a week using sites such as Bebo, Myspace, Facebook and YouTube. |
| The IPPR has called on the government to do more to protect young people from inappropriate content. | The IPPR has called on the government to do more to protect young people from inappropriate content. |
| The think tank has called for an annual report produced by regulator Ofcom on the effectiveness of initiatives aimed at tackling harmful internet content. | The think tank has called for an annual report produced by regulator Ofcom on the effectiveness of initiatives aimed at tackling harmful internet content. |
| The IPPR also wants Ofcom to police cross-industry guidelines setting out the limits of what young people can expect when on social networks and how to behave online. | The IPPR also wants Ofcom to police cross-industry guidelines setting out the limits of what young people can expect when on social networks and how to behave online. |
| More than half of all children surveyed by the IPPR reported they had come into contact with online pornography. | More than half of all children surveyed by the IPPR reported they had come into contact with online pornography. |