The BBFC – What Do They Know Anyway?
The British Board of Film Classification rate not only all films released here in the UK, but all games too. The ratings range from UC to 18 and it is illegal to sell a game to any person below that age rating. This differs greatly from the American rating system, the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board), whose ratings are mealy a guideline and are not the law.
As a shop assistant in the major UK chain GameStation, we are made aware from day one that if we are caught selling games to minors we will face a £50 ($90) on the spot fine, will get fired and our company can be fined up to £5000 ($9000). For us shop assistants, that’s cereal business, but why do I get the feeling that a great majority of parents, even more so at this time of year, just don’t get the BBFC rating?
I can’t say I have always agreed with the BBFC, but the idea is right; there are some games that your average 12 year old shouldn’t be playing, Grand Theft Auto 4 for example. Yet an alarming number of parents will blindly buy such games for there children, apparently ignoring not only the information we give as shop assistants about what’s in the game, but the whole rating system itself.
People such as Jack Thompson have argued endlessly about game manufactures supply gaming to under-age gamers, but this time I really don’t think you can put blame on the games industry. I think the problem is either parents who don’t care or parents who are simply uneducated. I have spoken to countless mothers while I’ve been working the shop floor in my GameStation who were utterly shocked when they found out what GTA4 was really like, but it is an 18 rated game, so what were they expecting?
I certainly feel the majority of parents are poorly educated about what games and gaming can include in this day and age. Game developers are constantly pushing the boundaries of acceptability further and further on elements such as language, drug use, sex, violence and horror, all developed in gaming environments that are more visceral than ever.
It’s only November but already, despite the information we give out, hundreds of mothers and fathers have come through our doors and purchased 12+ rated games for there children. I’m pretty confident that once again there will be plenty of shocked parents when their little angel starts chainsawing their way through the Locus horde this Christmas day. Just make sure in January, you don’t come crying to me, we really are warning you.
Image credit: kickass-peanut
Parents are silly bananas. They expect everyone else to police their children, yet, when the guidelines are in place to educate them, they don’t pay attention. It’s both sad and frustrating.
I think a lot of parents just don’t want to know what the content is of the game they are buying for their kids, as long as it keeps them quiet their happy. Hell that’s exactly what my parents did when I was (a lot) younger. It’s going to be this generation of gamers that have grown up with video games and now are educated enough to be able to safely decide what their kids can and can’t play.
How does an angle wield a chainsaw… Oh wait.
This is yet another example of parents being too lazy to parent their children. They let the TV do it for them and it’s not working out so well.
And of course, the gaming industry is the one who will pay the price of what crime these kids may commit, claiming the influence came from video games.
While its difficult to stop the negligence of unknowing parents, there should be some measure to ensure that there is a less chance of this happening.
What you’re doing, by informing the parents what exactly they’re buying, is a proven measure.
Great article. Soon as we start having kids, the world will have more educated parents.
….not we like you and I, I mean when we…you know what I mean.