EU Politicians - Consoles need a red button to turn off inappropriate games

[Queasy]

Morans - Via GamePolitics, EU politicians show off their astounding ignorance by calling for a tool to help parents keep bad games away from their kiddies. That tool, a red button that sounds astoundingly like an on/off switch. <forehead smack>

Parents should have a "red button" to disable a game they feel is inappropriate for their child, says the EP Internal Market Committee... Until PEGI on-line is up and running, the report proposes fitting consoles, computers or other game devices with a "red button" to give parents the chance to disable a game or control access at certain times.

<sigh>

 

[R Nilla]

Why not implement a rating recognition tool. All games must include an indicator of their rating on the disc, and parents can set the console to not allow certain ratings to be played (like AO, M and unrated).

Ultimately, if a parent is doing their job and paying attention to their child, none of this should be necessary given that a ratings system is already in place. Better understanding and more awareness of the ESRB (in the US) ratings are certainly needed, though. Many parents are too ignorant of what they're purchasing for their children. Games need to be seen as another form of entertainment, like a TV show or DVD, and not like just another toy.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: R Nilla
Why not implement a rating recognition tool. All games must include an indicator of their rating on the disc, and parents can set the console to not allow certain ratings to be played (like AO, M and unrated).

Ultimately, if a parent is doing their job and paying attention to their child, none of this should be necessary given that a ratings system is already in place. Better understanding and more awareness of the ESRB (in the US) ratings and certainly needed, though. Many parents are too ignorant of what they're purchasing for their children. Games need to be seen as another form of entertainment, like a TV show or DVD, and not like just another toy.

The 360 already has a rating recognition tool in the Family Settings screen that parents can use. The EU has their own version of the ESRB called the PEGI. That should definitely be used.

We have a simple rule in my house, the kids can play any E games. They have to ask permission for certain T games and they can't play any M games. So if I rent or buy a new game, my son inevitably asks if it is an E or T game that he can play.

 

[R Nilla]

Originally posted by: Queasy
The 360 already has a rating recognition tool in the Family Settings screen that parents can use. The EU has their own version of the ESRB called the PEGI. That should definitely be used.

Cool, I had a feeling that may have already existed in the 360 Family Settings. I don't actually know that much about parental controls on consoles since I'm not a parent. 🙂

 

[AstroManLuca]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: R Nilla
Why not implement a rating recognition tool. All games must include an indicator of their rating on the disc, and parents can set the console to not allow certain ratings to be played (like AO, M and unrated).

Ultimately, if a parent is doing their job and paying attention to their child, none of this should be necessary given that a ratings system is already in place. Better understanding and more awareness of the ESRB (in the US) ratings and certainly needed, though. Many parents are too ignorant of what they're purchasing for their children. Games need to be seen as another form of entertainment, like a TV show or DVD, and not like just another toy.

The 360 already has a rating recognition tool in the Family Settings screen that parents can use. The EU has their own version of the ESRB called the PEGI. That should definitely be used.

We have a simple rule in my house, the kids can play any E games. They have to ask permission for certain T games and they can't play any M games. So if I rent or buy a new game, my son inevitably asks if it is an E or T game that he can play.

That's too hard! You can't force parents to take responsibility for their children!