Ratings and Censorship of Video Games The Entertainment

Ratings and Censorship of Video Games

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) ● ● ● Self-regulatory, mandate is to assign ratings to video games so that parents can make informed choices System is voluntary, but many retailers + most major chains will only stock games with ratings Almost all video games are rated by the ESRB

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) 1. Rating Categories – suggest age appropriateness o Everyone, Everyone 10+, Teen, Mature, Adults Only, Rating Pending 2. Content descriptors – indicate content that may have triggered a particular rating or may be of interest or concern o Examples = blood and gore, mature humour, drug reference, simulated gambling, suggestive themes etc. 3. Interactive elements – highlight interactive or online features of a product, including users' ability to interact with each other, the sharing of users' location with other users, if purchases of digital goods or services are offered, and/or if unrestricted internet access is provided

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) The Rating Process ● ● ● Developers pay a fee and submit an online questionnaire detailing the game’s pertinent content Must also submit a video that captures all pertinent content including typical gameplay, missions, cutscenes, and the most extreme instances of relevant content The video is reviewed by at least 3 trained raters who collectively deliberate -> this is then reviewed by RSRB staff

Violence in Video Games

The International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) ● ● ● Used for digitally-distributed games and apps No fees for the developer Content ratings are generated for Classificação Indicativa (Brazil), ESRB (United States, Canada, Mexico), PEGI ● (Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Latvia, Norway, Slovenia, Belgium, Estonia, Iceland, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Bulgaria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Sweden, Cyprus, France, Israel, Malta, Romania, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Slovak Republic, United Kingdom), USK (Germany) and Generic (all other countries) Developers complete a questionnaire and are immediately assigned the ratings

Criticisms of the ESRB - Enforceability

Adult Only Rating - Censorship?

Criticisms of the ESRB - Oversight ● ● Two-Take is a company at the centre of some of the ESRB’s largest controversies Conflict of interest in a system where the industry is allowed to self-regulate? "Clearly the ESRB has a conflict of interest in rating these games, plain and simple, parents cannot trust the ESRB to rate games appropriately or the industry to look out for our children's best interests" Leland Yee, California State Assembly Member

Criticisms of the ESRB - Rating Accuracy ● ● Because of the interactive nature of video games, experience may vary greatly from user to user making it difficult to accurately rate To rate video games, the ESRB depends on video footage of the game sent to them by the developers and can only assign ratings based on the information that they are given

Criticisms of the ESRB - Mods

Criticisms of the ESRB - Mods

Is government intervention the solution? ● ● After the controversy surrounding GTA San Andreas, Senators Hillary Clinton, Joe Lieberman, Tim Johnson and Evan Bayh introduced a bill known as the Family Entertainment Protection Act, which would impose fines on individuals or businesses found selling M- or AO-rated games to minors, as well as launch an investigation into the ESRB to determine whether it has been properly rating games. This bill did not become law, but does reflect concerns that the ESRB is not sufficient and that there is a need for government intervention

Australian Classification Board (ACB) Overview ● ● ● Government body and system created by statute Board members are appointed by the federal government Mandatory — all video games must be reviewed in order to be legally sold in Australia The board reviews not only video games, but also films and, in some cases, books and magazines Has the power to refuse classification, banning the video game from sale in Australia ○ Importing games that have been refused classification is illegal Sale of material in restricted categories to anyone younger than the age on the rating is illegal

Australian Classification Board (ACB) The System ● ● Divided into advisory and restricted categories Prior to 2013, video games were not eligible for any category higher than MA 15+ ○ Games that would have been rated higher were refused classification Video games are assessed on a different set of criteria than films Ratings can contain “consumer advice” which list the classifiable elements that led to the rating being chosen

Australian Classification Board (ACB) The Review Process ● ● ● There are six classifiable elements: drug use, language, nudity, themes, sex, and violence The board looks at the impact and the context of the classifiable elements ○ For example, drug use cannot be incentivized even at an R 18+ rating Applicants fill out a questionnaire, and provide footage of any gameplay elements that may be contentious. Some applicants must physically demonstrate gameplay before the board

Australian Classification Board (ACB) Mods ● ● As of 2015, minor modifications do not requires a separate approval as long as they “would not affect the original classification of the game” However, more major modifications are required to be classified in order to be sold.

Criticism of the ACB

Decisions of the ACB Censored Video Games

Decisions of the ACB Censored Video Games

Decisions of the ACB Censored Video Games

Which System Works Best? Kahoot. it

Censorship Around the World

Censorship Around the World

Censorship Around the World

Censorship Around the World

Censorship Around the World

Censorship Around the World