Study highlights parental concerns over video game content

Written By deanogee 215 days ago
News Category: Industry News
Relevant Consoles: : GameCube : Nintendo DS : PC : PlayStation : PlayStation 2 : PlayStation 3 : PlayStation Portable : Super Nintendo : Wii : Xbox : Xbox 360

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According to a new study, produced by Microsoft. At least 75% of parents are concerned with the content of video games despite great lengths of companies to stress the educational and social aspects of gaming.

Half of 4,000 parents surveyed in the UK, France, Italy and Germany said that one hour of gaming each day should be the absolute limit.

43% of these were also unaware of rating systems on games to determine suitability.

ELSPA, the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, believes video-gaming is a "part of a balanced mix of leisure activities for all ages".The association also added they "welcome the opportunity to highlight the range of devises such as age content suitability ratings and parental controls."

Those parents unsure "around sensible and appropriate game play" should visit ELSPA's http://www.askaboutgames.com.

The survey also found 64% of children played games alone and 22% played with family and friends.

Despite recent attempts to bridge the gap between offline and online gaming, only 5% of children play online.

A few of the parents concerned believe they should stay key-decision makers in allowing their child to play a game. However other parents believe there should be stricter ratings including laws on videogames introduced.

Tags : askaboutgames : ELSPA : games : microsoft : nintendo ds : parents : playstation 2 : PlayStation 3 : playstation portable : uk : Wii : Xbox 360

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Comments

By: Tiamat On: 05:37 Dec 4th, 2007 Offline	These people are morons, if you don't like it, don't get them it! more parent discretion would go a long way...
By: dragongee On: 05:43 Dec 4th, 2007 Offline	"i blame the parents" - i find it rather bizzare that parents dont even know what they are buying their child... even if they dont buy em it - i find it quite strange how distant some families can be and the child is practically left to do stuff on their own... the parents cant be bothered to see if a game is right for their child instead they want the government or game makers to look after them and do the job they cant be bothered to do..
By: Dragonfly On: 05:45 Dec 4th, 2007 Offline	How the hell could they be "unaware" of game ratings? THEY'RE STAMPED ON THE FRONT OF EVERY BOX!
By: dragongee On: 05:51 Dec 4th, 2007 Offline	Words of Ivory;38076 How the hell could they be "unaware" of game ratings? THEY'RE STAMPED ON THE FRONT OF EVERY BOX! i was quite surprised by thiat statistic too... Actual Survey Results 93.7% of the parents asked did not know they had a child before this survey was undertaken. i think i missed this survey result off the article
By: Evren On: 06:05 Dec 4th, 2007 Online	Wow, are most parents completely stupid?! Oh, whats that, an 18? Oh, I shall buy it for my 8 year old, Yeah, That'll work!!!! Stop being worried and read up on your childs interests, at least thier not on the streets DOING DRUGS!!!!
By: Arksua On: 06:10 Dec 4th, 2007 Offline	Parents are the least suitable people to raise children. Seriously what is wrong with these morons?
By: Marty Chimpants On: 07:12 Dec 4th, 2007 Offline	My panties are bunching as we speak. How do children get these games? Parents. Because children that aren't old enough to buy the game can't buy the game because they aren't old enough, and it says they aren't old enough for a reason, and for that reason they can not buy the game. So how do these children get these games? Parents, or older friends. Oh look! I'm a parent. I don't feel like being a part of my child's life. Mr. Government could you do me a kind favor and fuck it up for everyone else because I can't do my job? Thanks.
By: Mechanoma On: 01:28 Dec 4th, 2007 Offline	I have a cousin who's father has been buying him the GTA games since he was six (he's 9 now). He's also been watching "R" rated movies for quite some time. I don't think the kid should get in trouble when he cusses or says other obscene things, because the stuff is fed to him day in and day out. His mom lets him watch stuff like the Jason and Halloween movies and then wonders why the boy won't sleep in his own bed. It's beyond me why parents pull this sort of crap. I know my son won't be having a T.V. or computer in his room until he's at least a teenager, that way I can keep track of what he's up to. I won't be able to follow his every step, and I defintely won't be looking over his shoulder constantly (I grew up with that, and hated it!) but I do want to be involved in his life. What I really don't get about all this is that these parent's don't care about what their children are doing until they do something wrong. Then they blame it on anyone but themselves. "My god Jr., I turned my back on you for 5 years and you constantly spout obsenities now! How could this happen? IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE MEDIA!!!!"
By: Shad On: 01:58 Dec 6th, 2007 Offline	Way to shift the blame, Parents! That's a great way to teach your child to take responsibility for their own actions! I pity these children, and cant wait till us gamers start having kids; they might even get taught the difference between right and wrong by us, not the government!
By: Dragonsoul On: 10:55 Dec 7th, 2007 Online	I actually found this article lulz-worthy. I mean, is it all really so surprising that parents are, or many of them anyways, totally inept on how to raise kids? It's an ugly cycle where no one starts to take responsiblity for doing the hard part and actually, you know, parenting. Let's just stick a controller in a kid's hands and when things go to shit blame anything and everything but what really caused the problem--the neglient parent. Educating the kids isn't helping. Time we educate the parents.

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