Grumpygamer

This morning sees the publication of Dr Tanya Byron's investigation into issues surrounding the protection of children from adult material in videogames and the internet. And while there are some good recommendations it already sounds a bit of a mess, because once again non-gamers have made major assumtions about those who enjoy this particular medium.

But first let's look at the reports major recommendations:

• The creation of a unified game rating system rather than the current UK dual BBFC/PEGI system.
• 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.
• 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.

I think the first and last items are the ones we should look at in details. Currently games a covered by an age voluntary system called PEGI which puts age recommendations and content details on game boxes. Certain games also have to be rated by the British Board of Film Classification due to their stronger content.

The practical upshot of this is that you can't buy a game in the UK without clear age guidence labelling on it. Now I do agree to some extent with Byron's report suggesting just one labelling system should be used - but I do think this is getting away from the real issue here.

The issue being the stupidity of parents.

I'll be very clear about this. If you are letting your child play Grand Theft Auto then you are clearly stupid pikey scum. The Grand Theft Auto games are some of the finest works of art in the videogaming medium, the quality of the acting, gameplay and writing is second to none. They are truly beautifully crafted gems.

But these are games for adults, just as Goodfellas and The Godfather are movies for adults. Why don't you look at some of the age ratings on the games you let your children play? Take some responsibility.

So the final bullet-point, where there is a call to make parents more aware of game rating issues is a very good one. It won't actually protect the children that need to be protected though. My experience from my retail days is that there are plenty of pikey parents who will buy anything for their mewling brats even if you explain how adult the content is.

The Byron Report discusses some of these issues in terms of a generation gap, showing that Byron really hasn't got to grips with the modern games industry at all.

The key finding is that we have this huge digital generational divide at the moment where children are enjoying benefits and opportunities both online and in videogames but parents are really genuinely confused in terms of what videogames are and how their kids are playing them, what the content really means and what should they be allowing their kids to play and not play.

For me it’s about how can government really empower parents, society and teachers who grapple with these issues in schools to really support children to think about risks both online and in videogames where most adults are coming from the position of knowing less than the children who are using these technologies.

Oh please, that same old lie that kids are the ones who play games and adults don't know anything about them. Even the most basic research shows that the reason the videogames market is so strange is because it is an adult market. Children gamers are a minority compared to the rest of us who enjoy interactive entertainment. Who do you think are playing the realistic driving sims like Forza Motorsport 2 or online anti-terrorism shooters like Rainbow Six Vegas 2? It's not ten year olds that's for sure.

The overral aims of the report are very welcome. And I do hope more children are protected from material that really isn't suitable for them. I'm also glad it hasn't been the shrill "ban this sick filth" kind of nonsense we might have expected if the likes of Keith Vaz MP had been involved.

The truth about protecting children is that it is up to the parents. Age ratings are there on the games, they have been for a very long time. Yes more can be done to publicise these. But parents, you have to be the ones to protect your children.

You can read Tanya Byron's report right here.