ESRB campaigning in Georgia

In the wake of increased scrutiny from politicians and the media, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is continuing attempts to work with government instead of against it.

The ESRB and the state of Georgia are teaming to launch an advertising campaign to educate the public on the video-game ratings system. The campaign, made up of TV and radio ads, will advise parents to check each game's rating "to ensure that it is appropriate for their children and family," the ESRB said today.

"Parents need and deserve all the help they can get, and the ESRB ratings are an effective and informative resource that allows parents to decide if the video game their child wants is appropriate," Georgia attorney general Thurbert Baker said in a statement.

It's not the first time the ESRB has teamed with members of government and organizations to teach parents the virtues of game ratings. The ratings board made a similar announcement with the attorney general of Utah in late June. A week prior to that, the ESRB announced an alliance with Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA), George Allen (R-VA), and Mark Pryor (D-AR) as well as leading game retailers. The ESRB spelled out nine "commitments" that retailers have to parents, such as notifying customers that M- and AO-rated games should not be sold to minors.