Videogame retailers support Byron Review, says Byron
BBFC set for classification expansion?
Psychologist Dr Tanya Byron has told a meeting of videogame publishers that most retailers support the idea of giving the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) a bigger role over game classification.
Byron, who last week published her infamous review into the effect of videogames and the internet on children, has proposed a legally binding system of age ratings for games.
She said BBFC style U, PG, 12, 15 and 18 cinema labels should be adopted alongside elements of the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) system - a voluntary code followed by many game manufacturers.
But the psychologist has since told the European Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), a body of games developers that monitor industry issues, that “retail felt very strongly on favour of the BBFC as the single consumer-facing on all games”.
She added that introduction of the age banding, as currently seen with film sales, would help cure “parental confusion at the point of sale”.
When Paul Jackson, director general of the ELSPA, hinted that the BBFC might not be up to the job of extended classification duties, the film review body quickly returned fire.
The BBFC said it’s "ready and able to take on the extra work envisaged by Dr Byron" and that it welcomes a "film-style classification system and greater role for the BBFC".
No decision has yet been made whether to implement any of the Byron Review’s recommendations.
COMMENTS
BBFC & Books
(from Fibbles)
"This seems like nothing more than another land-grab by the BBFC. One wonders if they will soon start lobbying for the right to apply their classifications to books as well."
NEWS JUST IN!!!
From today, no UK retailer will be able to sell copies of The Bible or The Koran. The BBFC has refused to give age-classifications to either of these best-selling publications, due to "excessive violence, racist and xenophobic overtones, occasions of incest and lack of moral fibre."
The BBFC has stated that, should this material fall into the hands of children or vulnerable people, many could find themselves believing that these stories are real, and attempt to re-enact scenes from these books."
"In certain cases, such as the story of David and Goliath, Samson, Cain and Abel or the Fall of Jericho, this could have disastrous results including physical injury, damage to property, and potentially, death" a spokesman said yesterday.
IT tech forums, normally hotbeds of dissent regards the BBFC expanding their powers, were notably silent about the move. One frequent contributor to 'The Register' was seen to write "Wise up to the Future being Different from the Past. Do something Original that doesn't criminalise Society and set them against Public Servants. You know IT makes Sense.". We don't know why...
@ anonymous
"Nobody cares about age rating system except a few people who are magical mushroom people."
That woman obviously cared because it's her job. She didn't make the sodding law. I'd do the very same, I don't want to lose my job just because an individual hasn't bothered to keep identification on them. The amount of customers who give me a "You've just spoken Russian" look when I ask for ID have to realise I'm not picking on them, I'm simply following policy.
Solutions
Aren't the BBFC past their sell by date yet?
There must be a better solution.
Parents are not confused
They deliberately allow their children to have 18 rated games and films because they want to.
From Tanya Byron's comments so far, I can only conclude that this is more about her making a name for herself than actually doing any proper research.
The BBFC refused at first to give Manhunt 2 a certificate, not because it was so violent it was unrateable, but because they believed that children would have the game bought for them by adults (or possibly be able to buy it themselves).
That is not a failure of the ratings system. It's a failure of the distribution system and a failure of the parents.
Ratings
This seems like nothing more than another land-grab by the BBFC. One wonders if they will soon start lobbying for the right to apply their classifications to books as well.
