Stearns Conducts Hearing on Violent and Explicit Content in Video Games

STEARNS CONDUCTS HEARING ON VIOLENT AND EXPLICIT CONTENT IN VIDEO GAMES

PANEL REVIEWS INDUSTRY RATING SYSTEM AND MARKETING OF GAMES TO CHILDREN

"Worldwide, computer and video game sales have hit over $30 billion," stated Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Chairman of the Commerce, Trade & Consumer Protection Subcommittee. "The spectacular rise of the video game juggernaut is not hard to understand when you see the creativity, educational value, and fun the vast majority of games offer to gamers of every age. However, the top selling game in 2004 was the now infamous 'Grand Theft Auto San Andreas,' which is rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) as 'M' for mature - indicating that the game's content is inappropriate for children under 17 years old. Grand Theft Auto sold 5.1 million units in 2004 and pushed out Madden NFL Football from the number one spot. Madden NFL Football was rated 'E' for everyone by the ESRB -- suitable for children 6 years and older.

The panel viewed an edited clip from the game "Grand Theft Auto" to show a sample of the disturbing violent content. Explained Stearns, "Grand Theft Auto includes scenes that allow players to make drug deals, solicit prostitutes, gun down, bludgeon, and mutilate police officers and EMS personnel, and as the finale, fly a plane into a skyscraper." Stearns also noted the use of hidden codes or 'mods.' "This new phenomenon is another disturbing development that involves the ability to modify an existing game's underlying code with a downloadable program that can unlock hidden violent and sexually-explicit content in the game."

In response to the Columbine High School shootings in 1999, the President and Congress requested that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigate and report on the marketing of violent entertainment to children. Lydia Parnes, Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection of the FTC, testified on mixed progress. Parnes stated, "Over the years, the FTC reports have documented progress by the video game industry in limiting advertisements for M-rated [Mature] games in popular teen media. The FTC also has found that the video game industry nearly always provides rating information in advertising. Despite this progress, there remain a number of concerns relating to video games and how they are marketed. Although retailers selling video games have steadily improved their record of denying under-age children access to M-rated games, a significant percentage of children sent in an undercover shoppers are still able to buy these games."

Dr. Kimberly M. Thompson, Associate Professor and Director, Kids Risk Project, Harvard School of Public Health, presented the results of a study on violent and explicit video games. "We consistently find that the games contain significant amount of violence and explicit content that may be of concern to parents, which is inconsistently labeled by the rating board." testified Thompson. Douglas Lowenstein, President of the Entertainment Software Association gave the industry's perspective. He noted, "You might be surprise to learn that the average age of people playing games in not 12, or 15, or even 20. It is 33 years old. In fact, 85% of all games in 2005 were rated appropriate for persons under 17, and only 15% were rated Mature. Here's the bottom line: no rating system known to man will meet with universal approval.

Concluded Stearns, "More needs to be done by the industries involved, which have the money, resources, and expertise to better protect children. Ratings need to be clearer and more universal. Hidden content and the use of 'mods' to evade ratings need to be met with more severe penalties. Retail stores need to be more vigilant in how they verify the age of customers."

http://www.house.gov/stearns/PressReleases/PR2006Releases/pr-060614-VideoGames.html