Glenis Willmott is this week backing moves for a ‘red button’ parents can use to disable their childrens’ video games.

Glenis says many games can help children but mums and dads should be given the chance to stop any they consider unsuitable.

“Research shows video games are useful for educational and medical purposes – and they can be good fun. But not all of them have content which parents will be happy with.

“Online games, which are easy to download onto a PC or mobile phone, make parental control even harder.

“Parents should have the chance to choose what their children are playing. Not all video games are suited to all age groups and there may be harmful effects on young minds.

“A red button fitted to consoles, computers and other gaming devices would offer parents the chance to control access or even disable games with inappropriate content.”

The recommendations in a report for the European Parliament also says that parental control options on video games should be backed up with more information on game content and an age rating system which is the same across Europe.

Studies show that violence in video games does not automatically lead to violent behaviour. But prolonged exposure to scenes of violence can have an adverse effect on the player and even potentially lead to violent behaviour.

“We want a code of conduct for retailers and the producers of these games. And internet café owners need to be reminded of their responsibilities. A recent survey showed that large numbers of children, some as young as six, are accessing the internet without adult supervision in internet cafes.”

Background

The report is for the European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee
 
An amendment tabled by the Civil Liberties Committee calls on the Member States to frame specific civil and criminal legislation on the retailing of violent TV, video and computer games and argues that special attention should be devoted to on-line games.

The Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) age rating system is not used by all producers of video games sold in the EU.

A Eurobarometer survey shows that 3.2% of children aged 6-17 access the internet without adult supervision in internet cafes.

10 March 2009