Parents warned to oversee their children's video games
Much like movies, video games carry suggested ratings, assigned by the Entertainment Software Rating Board, which act as a guideline for parents.
On Monday, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Patricia Vance, the rating board's president, announced new public-service announcements for television and radio, featuring Shurtleff battling it out on a video-game system with his children. The ads are intended to educate parents about the game ratings and how to use them.
Shurtleff admitted that he has been known to pick up a game controller once in a while. "I like video games," Shurtleff said during a press conference at the state Capitol.
As parents, Shurtleff and Vance said it's tough to decide what video games to let their children play.
Since 1994, the game ratings can be found on the front and back of most video-game boxes. The inclusion of the ratings was a voluntary move by the video-game industry after mounting pressure from parents groups and lawmakers who were concerned about the sale of a genre of violent, sometimes profanity-riddled, video games to minors.
"Just like movies and TV shows, video games are created for a diverse audience of all ages," Vance said.
Carolyn Gardner, a parent who lives in North Salt Lake, said she decides what games to allow her children to play by following the ratings. She also knows that some video-game consoles can be programmed to refuse to play games with certain ratings.
Video-game retailers are also turning away minors who try to buy games rated "M" for mature gamers older than age 17.
Meanwhile, law-enforcement officials are taking an increasing interest in online gaming and its potential for abuse by child predators.
"Online gamers are sending instant messages and even talking to each other on headsets," said Chris Ahearn, director of the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. "Predators find the games an easy way to become friends with young people."
David White, also with the task force, said officials are investigating several incidents where minor gamers were enticed by predators in an online game.
Shurtleff urged parents to monitor their children if they are playing online. Parents can find more information by going to www.esrb.org.
Several states have recently passed laws making it illegal for vendors to sell certain games to minors. The video-game industry has taken legal action in those states to block the laws. In most states, including Utah, the game ratings are only suggestions.
Shurtleff said the rating system represents good cooperation between private and public groups to see that children are protected.
E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com
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