CFK Reports From: Violent and Explicit Video Games: Informing Parents and Protecting Children
Event: Hearing
Organized By: Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection
Where/When: June 14, 2006; 2123 Rayburn House Office Building

Report by: Martha Pitts

When it was revealed last year that a popular video game “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” contained a hidden graphic sex scene unlocked by downloadable software, members of Congress waged a war against graphic content in video games. In this hearing, representatives from the Entertainment Software Association, the Entertainment Safety Ratings Board, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and independent researchers presented written testimony on how their respective organizations are informing parents and protecting children from violent and explicit content in video games.

Members of the subcommittee criticized the Grand Theft Auto game in their opening remarks and posed questions regarding the effectiveness of the ratings and of retailer enforcement of age verification.

An edited clip of the Grand Theft Auto showed how players can solicit prostitutes, gun down police, and fly a plane into a skyscraper. The game was originally rated “M” (Mature). Following last year’s controversy, the Entertainment Software Rating Board changed the rating to “AO” (Adults Only) and stores such as Wal-Mart pulled the games from their shelves and returned them to the suppliers.

Although the Entertainment Software Rating Board requires video game producers to fully disclose the content of their videos, the makers of Grand Theft Auto did not. Some members of Congress said that there should be stronger penalties than those the ESA imposes. But Patricia Vance, president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board, said the existing system of monetary penalties represent “serious consequences” for game producers who break the rules.

According to the ESA, which lobbies for the video game industry, 85 percent of all games sold in 2005 were rated appropriate for persons under 17, and only 15 percent were rated “Mature.” In addition to the “Adults Only” and “Mature”, the other ratings categories include “Early Childhood”, “Everyone”, “Everyone 10 and older” and “Teen”.

Gary Severson, senior vice president for merchandising, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., said that Wal-Mart associates were taught and trained to not sell to children who are under 17 unless accompanied with a parent. Severson said associates should ask for an ID if they think the buyer is under 17.

“We perform better than what is being said out there,” Severson said.

When asked by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) whether Wal-Mart had a responsibility to protect at-risk kids who Pitts said may be more influenced to emulate the violence on the video games, Severson said “If I knew as an industry how to uniquely help these children—if these parents are not in the picture, then I don’t know what we could do.”

“If it’s in the house, then it’s likely Mom and Dad bought it,” he said.

A webcast of this hearing can be accessed through the subcommittee’s Web site [1].

The ESRB has more information on the rating system [2].