FCC: Let's Use One Rating System
Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: FCC, Rating, System, ESA, Congress | Themes: Digital Entertainment, Business
The FCC is investigating ways to create one single rating system from mobile phones, television and video games.
According to a report from Bloomberg.com, Congress is pushing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate the possibility for one single rating system spanning television, video games, and wireless telephones. This system would ultimately override current voluntary rating systems provided by publishers, networks, and mobile carriers.
The overall concern, as stated by FCC chairman Julius Genachowski, is that parents don't have the tools to properly screen inappropriate content from children. "Parents worry not only about the TV in the den, but about the computer in the kitchen, the gaming console in the basement, and the mobile phones in their kids’ pockets,” Genachowski said in testimony July 22 at the Commerce Committee. “No wonder parents increasingly find themselves playing the digital media equivalent of a ‘zone defense’ across this increasingly wide playing field.”
Naturally, various groups are opposing the new system. The ESA said that the FCC has no jurisdiction over video games and their ratings systems, whereas content producers and networks are throwing up the First Amendment red flag. The CTIA, representing the wireless industry, said that regulation isn't necessary because "the industry has worked voluntarily to meet parents' demands."
Surprisingly, the report doesn't mention movies which are currently regulated by the Motion Picture Association of America. The MPAA rating system, the oldest rating system in the country dating back to 1922, would be an ideal model--if not the most familiar with parents--for the FCC's proposed one-rating system.
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They may just be neurotic
Or possible psychotic
They're the fellas at the freakin FCC!
im pretty sure its not that hard to monitor what your kids watch, play, and talk about via cell phones. this is just for the parents who are too lazy to be actual parents. get off your on damned phone, and spend more time with your kids, dont expect everybody else to take care of them for you
If they have to worry about that stuff they then they must not be very good parents.
While a unified system may be nice, it's not like the game rating system is hard to understand. Seriously, it takes all of maybe 5 minutes to understand what E, T, and M mean. I take that back, it takes about 5 seconds, because below that it says "Everyone", "Teen", or "Mature". Mature is the only rating that could be considered ambiguous, except it's usually accompanied by "17+".
If you want to push for Cell phone software to adopt the same rating system as video games I'm all for it, but considering the sheer volume of such applications, it would be difficult to implement.
FCC is an antiquated system that made scene when there was maybe 15 television/radio stations but is useless and if anything harmful as long as people have a wide selection.
Guns, drugs, and comic books need to be included in this rating system also.
Why?
Not like I ever checked on them anyways...
I have only been asked for ID to buy something twice anyways...
Tequilla (on my 18th birthday, sadly they didn't like my ID), and a game (I'm 6'4, 155 lbs, I'm growing a beard, and the game is rated 16+... fucking idiot).
They'll probably do some sort of study and issue a report. Then the whole thing will be forgotten. The politicians are just trying to make themselves look good.
Have you seen the docutainment special "This Movie Has Not Yet Been Rated" ? It's quite thought provoking.
its the parent that are extra careful about whatever shit their spoiled fucked up kids are watching that get the delinquents
If they have to worry about that stuff they then they must not be very good parents.
On the contrary being the father of 3 kids I can say it is part of being a good parent to monitor what your kids are doing at all times. Since they are the parents responsibility till they turn 18. You train them the best you can but, since they have minds of there own sometimes they get into stuff they shouldn't if a parent is not watching then bad things can happen or they may be influenced by things that are not good.
I am not sure I agree with the FCC doing this. If this was a non government entity that was supported by each industry maybe but the government ALWAYS messes stuff up.
(I'm 6'4, 155 lbs...
Are you sure?
6'4'' and 155 lbs is beam pole skinny...
just the government trying to control more of our lives...awesome, freaking awesome...
This is genius and I always wondered why this was never done 20 years ago. I guess I come from the perspective that my parents are clueless about video games, but would understand that a 12 year old shouldn't play an "R" rated video game.
FAWK TEH FCC!
Parents who think that videogames, music lyrics and movies will ruin their "innocent" children shouldn't be allowed to have kids anyway!
FCC REGULATE SOME FR@GGIN PARENTS INSTEAD!
- sorry for yelling :S
ok here is my idea for the fcc's new rating system
i like
i dont like
Haha I was wondering the same thing... 6'4" 155??? I wouldn't blame them... I don't think Ive seen a grown man that small
this makes sense.
Yea, it's ultimately up to the parents to monitor what their kids experience, but how's an uninformed parent to know whether or not a game is suitable for their children if they don't understand the esrb? Not all parents play games, but mostly everyone is familiar with movies and their rating system.
all right! the FCC saves the day again. we're safe from unregulated sex and violence in our media! in the age of google any parent or potential parent who doesn't look up information on their kids' media diet is a moron and needs to leave some specif (and according to the FCC inappropriate ) body parts with their doctor.
so fuck the fcc fuck them right in the fucking neck.
this is bull shit , parents don';t need more "tools" to help them be good parents , the FCC knows this ,parents taht dont give a shit wont give shit and wil stil let thier kids paly what they want , parents that do care about what thier kids acess , will take teh tiem to restrict that acess themselves , anotehr rating system wont change that one bit. this is simply about the goverment controlling these industries.
ok... so video games and television has a rating system... why is this needed??? why not just advertise the systems in place and save the cash for i don't know... the DEFICIT. They might come up with a nice system but it looks like a massive waist of taxpayers money. I have a better idea let them develop a rating system to prioritize spending... dumb things like reinventing the wheel and building a better taco can be placed at the bottom where as health care and education can be at the top.
Honestly in the age where a click of the mouse + credit card yields a media product installed on your hd from a site that's located anywhere in the world leads me to think why should studios care about a rating system? Think about it.
It's not the rating system that's broken, it's the parents. I've been to three rated R movies in the past month and every one had some parent with at least one kid under TEN years old with them.
I'm not one for governmental interference in our lives, but that's sad. I'm a parent and my 15 year old isn't alloed to see rate R movies until the wife or I have seen it and talked about it. When our kids were under 13 they were completely off-limits.
As an adult, kids in a rate R movie usually ruins it. They're crying, talking, getting yelled at by the parent, too much of a distraction.
Besides the fact that parents are the ones in control here, and it is true that in a lot of cases they don't give a crap that maybe that the video game, "Chainsaw Carnage IV" may not be appropriate for a 6 year old, the ratings don't work anyway.
ABC family is a great example. Here's a channel that advertises itself as, I guess, good "family" television. You've got show after show about teenage pregnancy and Fraternity shennanigans. They aren't rated as adult material, but would you want your 9 year old watching? And,in another classic example, when ET the Extra Terrestrial was re-released, they edited out the insult "Penis-breath" to maintain the G rating. Ratings don't do a damn thing.
Parents need to care. I was at Blockbuster the other day where a father was buying used games for his kid (under 10). All games he was buying were rated at M. I can't remember the titles, but they were bloody and gory. The kid was saying "I want this and that", the father complied without a care in the world.
I'm disapointed again by fellow human beings.
Yeah, I think a single rating system for everything would keep it simple for those less intelegent parents out there.
There should be just one rating for ALL: N
...for Normal human
im pretty sure its not that hard to monitor what your kids watch, play, and talk about via cell phones. this is just for the parents who are too lazy to be actual parents. get off your on damned phone, and spend more time with your kids, dont expect everybody else to take care of them for you
I read this type of comment non-stop here on toms… While I do agree, you cannot watch your child 24/7. My son is 13, I pay attention to what he’s doing and I spend as much time as possible with him but I cannot be there 24/7… He has a life and plays with his friends. With that said I also let him play GTA and watch R rated movies, I don’t believe in sheltering children. My son is very well behaved but he gets in trouble now and again like every boy.
Do you have a child? If you don’t then remember back to when you were young… Were your parents standing over you when you found that playboy in the woods and you and all your friends drooled over? No… were your parents there when you skipped class? Or stole their liquer? Or had sex for the first time? You can’t control a child but you can steer them in the correct direction.
While I do I agree with you to some degree, I also KNOW I cannot be around my son and to be frank there is no harm in having safe guards in place.
I hate the FCC. Just another reason for them to stick their noses in something that will serve no real purpose.
F*** the FCC.
SamanualMC you have the beginnings of a snappy tune there. I can even here the theme from the Addams Family in the background when I read it.
The Freakin' FCC .... doodoodopdoomp, snap snap.
I think Seth Mcfarlane has beat you to it.