New York - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has suggested that movie studios ban ads for R-rated movies on websites where more than 45% of visitors are under 17, The New York Times reported.

The FTC's "Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children" report also criticized marketing of "unrated" versions of movies on DVD, which often contain additional sexually explicit or violent content not in the theatrical version.

"Most of the unrated versions of previously rated theatrical releases are explicitly marketed as containing edgier content, so there should be no confusion in the marketplace," Gayle Osterberg, vice president for corporate communications at the Motion Picture Association of America, told The Times.

The FTC found that buyers ages 13-16 were able to purchase unrated or R-rated DVDs 71% of the time.

It also noted that studios often omit full rating information about movies, or promoted R-rated films on youth-oriented websites like MySpace and CartoonNetwork.com -- where 54% of visitors last August were under 17.

The report found that the video game industry's voluntary ratings and enforcement efforts have improved, as 42% of unaccompanied minors were able to buy M-rated games, down from 85% in 2000.

Related Links:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/13/business/media/13violence.html

http://www.ftc.gov/reports/violence/070412MarketingViolentEChildren.pdf