NEW YORK, NY -- 04/21/08 --
Furthering their shared commitment to
informing parents, Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and Parent
Teacher Association (PTA) have launched a nationwide education campaign
through which a new booklet, "
A Parents Guide to Video Games, Parental Controls and
Online Safety," is being distributed to all 26,000 PTAs. The campaign
enables and encourages PTAs to educate their community's parents about the
ESRB rating system and parental control technology available on the various
game systems, as well as the concerns that exist when games are played over
an Internet connection and what parents can do to mitigate those concerns.
The booklets, which offer a step-by-step guide to setting up parental
controls as well as an article about online safety from Andrew S. Bub of
GamerDad.com, are available for free
download in
English and
Spanish through both the PTA and ESRB websites.
In addition to the booklet, a free webcast
featuring PTA national president Jan Harp Domene, ESRB president Patricia
Vance, and Andrew S. Bub will take place at 7:00 PM EDT on April 23, 2008.
The webcast will explain the ESRB rating system, offer information on
setting up parental controls for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Sony
PS3 and PSP, and Windows Vista, and include a discussion about online video
game safety. It will conclude with a live text Q&A session with the
experts.
"Video games continue to be a popular source of learning and entertainment
for children, but today's games provide players with new abilities to
interact with one another via online play. Just as with the Internet, that
kind of interaction carries with it some risks," said Domene. "Using the
ESRB ratings and setting up parental controls are important, proactive
steps that parents can take to make sure their kids are playing games they
deem appropriate. And being aware of the risks posed by online-enabled
games and what can be done to keep their kids safe when playing online is
crucial information for parents. We are very pleased to be offering them
this guidance with the help of ESRB."
"Three in four parents use the ESRB ratings regularly when selecting games
for their children (1), and the parental control features available in all
the newest game systems give parents more control over the games their
children play than ever before," said Vance. "But it's important for
parents to fully appreciate what the experience of playing games today
encompasses. Many online-enabled games allow players to interact in new
ways, including online competitions or chatting with one another via text,
audio or video. Parents should understand what type of content their child
might be exposed to when playing games online, and what steps they can take
to shield their children from content they deem inappropriate."
"Online-enabled games have opened up a whole new world of possibilities.
Playing games online with others, whether they be friends or strangers,
allows players to compete or cooperate with one another in new and exciting
ways, and that enriches their experience with those games," said Bub, also
known as GamerDad. "But with that ability to interact comes the ability to
introduce content into a game that might not be appropriate for all
players. Making sure parents are aware of the tools they can use to
protect their kids is a central part of the GamerDad mission, and I'm
delighted to have been able to take part in this initiative to arm parents
with this information."
The ESRB engages in several ratings education initiatives that involve
print, television and radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs) among other
vehicles. Most recently, the ESRB launched a new ratings search "widget,"
which allows parents to search for ESRB ratings from a portable mini
application that can be placed on their desktops, embedded in social
networking pages or other web sites, and even shared with friends via
email. It is available for free download at www.esrb.org/widget.
While many of ESRB's initiatives focus primarily on raising awareness and
use of the ratings, the partnership with PTA also provides parents with
valuable guidance and resources about computer and video games, parental
controls and online safety, and is among the most extensive to date in
terms of ground level support for communities nationwide.
PTAs nationwide will begin receiving the booklets in the coming days, and
are encouraged to share them with PTA member parents through their PTA unit
programs and events. The booklet is also be available online to all
concerned parents through PTA.org.
About Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
PTA comprises over 5 million parents and other concerned adults devoted to
the educational success of children and the promotion of parent involvement
in schools. PTA is a registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that
prides itself on being a powerful voice for children, a relevant resource
for parents, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA
is open to anyone who is concerned with the education, health, and welfare
of children and youth.
About Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a non-profit,
self-regulatory body established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software
Association (ESA). ESRB independently assigns ratings, enforces
advertising guidelines, and helps ensure responsible online privacy
practices for the interactive entertainment software industry.
(1) Federal Trade Commission, April 2007
Contacts:
Eliot Mizrachi
ESRB
Email Contact
917.522.3235
Kathryn Zimmer
PTA
Email Contact
312.670.6782 ext. 327
