FTC commends game industry progress

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released a second report on the marketing of violent entertainment to children. The latest report is a follow-up to the 2626839report released in September 2000 , which examined the marketing practices in the motion picture, music recording, and electronic game industries. The latest report indicates that both the motion picture and the electronic game industries have "made commendable progress in limiting their advertising to children of R-rated movies and M-rated games and in providing rating information in advertising."

The report also included an undercover shopper survey that was designed to determine whether unaccompanied 13- to 16-year-olds could buy M-rated games, explicit-content-labeled recordings, and tickets to R-rated movies. This survey found that most retailers have not made significant progress since the first report was released last September. Approximately 78 percent of electronic game retailers let underage shoppers buy M-rated games, compared to 85 percent last year.

For more information about the report, visit the FTC Web site.