Parental Control

Retailer GameStop Launches "Respect the Ratings" Campaign

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 8, 2006 - 2:20pm.

Grapevine, Texas - GameStop, the nation's largest specialty game retailer, announced on Friday the launch of a "Respect the Ratings" campaign, which includes the addition of in-store signage at its 3,600 locations, and the creation of a website intended to provide parents with a detailed explanation of the industry's ESRB game ratings system.

Senators Clinton, Lieberman Help Launch Video Game PSA Campaign

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 8, 2006 - 1:50pm.

Washington - U.S. Senators Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) joined Patricia Vance, president of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) this week in Washington to launch a nationwide PSA campaign that will encourage parents to use game ratings when buying games for their children.

Video Game Trade Group to Get $182,000 in Legal Fees from Michigan

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on December 1, 2006 - 1:03pm.

Washington - The Entertainment Software Association said on Friday that it will receive more than $182,000 in legal fees from the State of Michigan following its successful suit to block a new state law banning the sale of violent video games to minors.

Video Game Report Card: Big Retailers Get "A," Specialty Stores "F"

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 30, 2006 - 3:09pm.

Washington - The National Institute on Media and the Family (NIMF) has released its annual "Video Game Report Card," giving large retail stores like Wal-Mart and Best Buy an "A" grade for enforcing video game ratings, while specialty retailers -- which include stores like GameStop and Electronics Boutique -- were given a failing grade.

Louisiana Judge Permanently Blocks Violent Video Game Law

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 30, 2006 - 3:03pm.

Washington - A federal judge in Louisiana has blocked implementation of a state law that would have banned the sale of violent video games to minors.

Study: Violent Games Have Lingering Effect on Brain Activity

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 29, 2006 - 2:36pm.

Chicago - Teens who play violent video games exhibit increased activity in "emotional" areas of the brain and decreased activity in "self-control" areas, according to a study presented at the Radiological Society of North America's annual meeting, Reuters reported.

Appeals Court Upholds Injunction on Illinois Video Game Law

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 28, 2006 - 2:41pm.

Chicago - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has upheld a lower court ruling that declared an Illinois law banning the sale of sexually explicit games to minors in the state to be unconstitutional.

Study: 1% of All Websites Are Pornographic; Filters Over 90% Effective

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 15, 2006 - 3:36pm.

Philadelphia - According to the findings of a U.S. government study, about 1% of all websites indexed by Google and Microsoft are sexually explicit, the Associated Press reported.

Buzz Watch: Fitness Machine for Young Video Gamers

Authored by Jay Baage on November 6, 2006 - 11:19am.

Are you worried that your kids are playing video games too much and not getting enough exercise? Enter Step2Play. A stairmaster type of exercise machine that links directly to a child's computer games console. Here is the trick - the game controller will only work if the child keeps up a constant pre-set rate of exercise.

ACLU, U.S. Govt. in Court Again Over Child Online Protection Act

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 23, 2006 - 1:21pm.

Philadelphia - The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was in court again on Monday to continue its challenge to the 1998 Child Online Protection Act (COPA), which has not yet been enforced but would criminalize the act of publishing materials "harmful to children" online. The Supreme Court has already weighed in on the law, twice granting preliminary injunctions against its enforcement, and asked a lower court in Philadelphia to determine whether there have been any changes in technology that would affect the constitutionality of the statute.

Florida Judge Orders Take-Two's "Bully" Game Into Court for Review

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 12, 2006 - 1:21pm.

Miami - A Florida judge has ordered video game publisher Take-Two Interactive to demonstrate its forthcoming "Bully" game in court to determine if it violates Florida's "public nuisance" laws. The game allows players to step into the shoes of a 15-year-old attending a school called Bullworth Academy. Florida law defines a public nuisance as something that "tends to annoy the community; injures the health of the citizens in general; or corrupts the public morals," and is usually applied in areas like prostitution, gambling and environmental pollution. "I'm pretty sure that the game is harmful to minors," attorney Jack Thompson, who filed the suit against Take-Two, and retailers Wal-Mart and GameStop, told The Washington Post. The call to New York-based Take-Two, whose Rockstar Games unit is also responsible for the "Grand Theft Auto" franchise, was issued by Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Ronald Friedman as part of Thompson's lawsuit. Judge Friedman's clerk told GamePolitics.com that Friedman and Thompson "are prepared to spend several days watching [the game's content]." "Bully" is slated to be released in stores on Tuesday.

Turner's GameTap Enhances Parental Controls, Adds Kid-Friendly Titles

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 15, 2006 - 10:41am.

Atlanta - Turner Broadcasting's GameTap broadband entertainment network said this week that it has added enhanced parental controls and new kid-friendly entertainment and educational games. New filtering lets parents set individual settings for multiple children, based on game ratings (E, E10+, T). The site features over 115 games rated E or less and will soon add 20 more, including "Oregon Trail," "Carmen Sandiego" and "Math Blaster." The $9.95 per month service also includes video entertainment content.

House Bill Would Mandate Ratings Board Play All New Video Games

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 7, 2006 - 3:41pm.

Washington - A new bill in the U.S. House would mandate that the video game industry's ratings board play all video games in their entirety before issuing its ratings.

Minnesota Judge Overturns Violent Video Game Sales Law

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 1, 2006 - 5:15pm.

Washington - A Minnesota judge has overturned a law banning the sale of violent video games to minors passed by lawmakers in the state, ruling the law to be unconstitutional. "This ruling is of particular interest because lawmakers tried to skirt the First Amendment issue by fining minors themselves for buying the games, not retailers, as they have tried in other states," said Doug Lowenstein, president of the video game industry's Entertainment Software Association.

Parents Group Criticizes V-Chip PSA Campaign; TV Legislation Favored

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 28, 2006 - 12:48pm.

San Francisco - The Parents Television Council, an advocacy group for family-friendly programming, has criticized a $300 million PSA campaign launched by broadcasters and pay-TV providers that aims to educate parents on how to use the V-chip and other technologies to filter programming for children, CNET News.com reported.

Media Firms Create PSAs to Educate Parents on Kids' TV Viewing

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 25, 2006 - 1:32pm.

Washington - The Advertising Council, a non-profit that develops public service announcement campaigns, on Tuesday announced the launch of a national campaign that calls on parents to take a more active role in their children's TV viewing habits.

Fox Interactive Media Launches Internet Safety Campaign

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 13, 2006 - 2:43pm.

San Francisco - Fox Interactive Media, the unit of News Corp. that controls online properties including MySpace, announced on Thursday that it has partnered with the National PTA and Common Sense Media on a multi-million dollar Internet safety campaign.

Industrious Kid Launches Imbee Social Networking Site for Kids 8-14

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 16, 2006 - 12:38pm.

Emeryville, Calif. - Industrious Kid this week announced the launch of its Imbee social networking site, which is targeted at kids between 8 and 14-years-old.

TiVo Launches KidZone TV Parental Control Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 15, 2006 - 1:33pm.

Alviso, Calif. - TiVo on Thursday announced the availability of its TiVo KidZone service, which allows parents to automatically record family-friendly programming line-ups and prevent childrens' access to specific programs or channels.

Retailer GameStop Launches "Respect the Ratings" Campaign

Senators Clinton, Lieberman Help Launch Video Game PSA Campaign

Video Game Trade Group to Get $182,000 in Legal Fees from Michigan

Video Game Report Card: Big Retailers Get "A," Specialty Stores "F"

Louisiana Judge Permanently Blocks Violent Video Game Law

Study: Violent Games Have Lingering Effect on Brain Activity

Appeals Court Upholds Injunction on Illinois Video Game Law

Study: 1% of All Websites Are Pornographic; Filters Over 90% Effective

Buzz Watch: Fitness Machine for Young Video Gamers

ACLU, U.S. Govt. in Court Again Over Child Online Protection Act

Florida Judge Orders Take-Two's "Bully" Game Into Court for Review

Turner's GameTap Enhances Parental Controls, Adds Kid-Friendly Titles

House Bill Would Mandate Ratings Board Play All New Video Games

Minnesota Judge Overturns Violent Video Game Sales Law

Parents Group Criticizes V-Chip PSA Campaign; TV Legislation Favored

Media Firms Create PSAs to Educate Parents on Kids' TV Viewing

Fox Interactive Media Launches Internet Safety Campaign

Industrious Kid Launches Imbee Social Networking Site for Kids 8-14

TiVo Launches KidZone TV Parental Control Service

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