• Everyday Staff Page
  • Forum
  • Game Review Index
  • GamingAngels & the Press
  • GamingAngels Affiliates
  • GamingAngels Presents Network
  • Write for GA
  • Subscribe
GamingAngels   
  • Home
  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
      • Blood Angels
    • Web Trends
    • Fashion
    • Toys
  • Game Reviews
    • Xbox 360
    • PS3
    • Wii
    • PC
    • DS
    • PSP
    • PS2
  • Gadget Angels
    • Gadget
    • Mobile
  • Angel Life
    • GA Presents
  • Turning Japanese
  • Pulp Angels
    • Super Angels
  • Casual Gaming
    • Casual Game Reviews
    • Casual Game News
    • Facebook Games
  • Featured
  • Hobby Angels
  • Angels on the Go
    • E3 2009
    • E3 2010
    • E3 2011
  • Geek Women
    • Women in Games
    No Comments   
Thu, Jan 14 2010 | Published in News

The Kids (Might Be) Alright: Parents and the ESRB

By: Tiffany Nevin

Tweet

A lot of us might think that parents today just don’t “get” the Entertainment Software Ratings Board’s rating system. It certainly looks like it sometimes, what with the 10-year-olds who get access to games like Grand Theft Auto and God of War. Even with game store employees pointing out exactly why something receives a Mature rating, it seems that some parents just don’t know (or don’t care to know).

The results of a survey from developer/publisher Activision, however, seem to show that parents are more familiar than we might think, and that gamer kids themselves are also familiar with ratings.

Activision ESRB Promo

As part of their “Ratings Are Not A Game” campaign, Activision and The Harrison Group conducted 1,201 online interviews with gamers and their parents. They found that 82% of parents and 75% of children were familiar with the ESRB’s ratings, and 76% of parents believe that video games were a part of their family life.

Activision’s ratings-awareness campaign is supplemented with videos featuring Grand Theft Childhood co-author Dr. Cheryl Olsen. Olsen is also the co-director for the Center for Mental Health and Media at Massachusetts General Hospital.

A video accompanied these survey results as well, which you can watch below.

How many parents do you think understand and use the ESRB ratings? Do you use them to determine what games are appropriate for your children, or are you more likely to do research about a game’s content before deciding that it is appropriate?

Related: “Ratings Are Not A Game”

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Related Posts

  • Activision teams up with researcher for education initiative
  • Opinion: Can Video Games Make A Positive Change?
  • Opinion: A Mother’s Thoughts on the MAVAV Organization
  • Review: COD Black Ops (PS3)
  • Excuse me!?:Rude Gameware Launches New Gaming Peripherals


Tags: Activision, Entertainment Software Rating Board, ESRB, Family, Gamer, Games, Video game
Share This: Twitter Digg Stumble Upon Reddit Delicious Facebook N4G
Tiffany Nevin

About Tiffany Nevin

I've been gaming for 20 years and writing about it (and various other things) for nine of them. Drop me a line (tiffany@gamingangels.com) and I'll get back to you.
View all articles by Tiffany Nevin
Send Email |Website
Sign in or Post as Guest
Livefyre logo
  • Comment help
  • Get Livefyre
Post comment as
twitter logo facebook logo
Sort: Newest | Oldest
  • Login





    Register | Lost your password?
  • Be a Fan!

    GamingAngels on Facebook
  • RSS GA Presents

    • Tattoo Tuesday- Sherlock Holmes February 7, 2012
    • TMG-240 And It Even Plays Games February 6, 2012
    • Game Dames Episode 42: And we’re back! January 11, 2012
    • PCN – PrincessCast Episode 32 March 9, 2011
  • Recent Forum Posts

    • Tiffany Nevin
      Gaming Study!

      by candybeans

    • World of Popus is here!

      by aceejohson

    • Tiffany Nevin
      Maybe someone knows...

      by candybeans

    • Kaireyven
      World of Warcraft for Mac...

      by Kaireyven

    • play in style - girl gamer fashion

      by orion


  • Featured on BlogHer.com
  • join our mailing list
    * indicates required

    View previous campaigns.

    Close
  • Home
  • Game Review Index
  • GamingAngels & the Press
  • GamingAngels Affiliates
  • GamingAngels Presents Network
  • Sponsorship and Advertising
  • Write for GA

© 2004 - 2012 GamingAngels. All rights reserved. A Premium WordPress Theme Design.

Add to Technorati FavoritesbloglovinStumbleUpon Toolbar Contact us at Tips at GamingAngels.com

66 queries in 5.925 seconds.