Clinton, Lieberman help launch ESRB ads

Senators join rating board in announcing public awareness campaign to clue parents in to game ratings system.

Today the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) joined Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) in announcing a cooperative effort to get the word out about the gaming industry's rating system. Last year, the two senators introduced the Family Entertainment Protection Act, a piece of federal legislation that seeks to limit minors' access to objectionable games based upon their ESRB ratings.

The new initiative is focused on a nationwide advertising campaign that consists of public service announcements. Clinton and Lieberman don't appear in any of the campaign's four 30-second TV spots. Instead, Best Buy president Brian Dunn and GameStop president Steve Morgan affirm their companies' support of the ESRB and their policies not to sell games rated M for Mature to minors without parental permission.

While Clinton and Lieberman don't appear on camera, both legislators offered their support for the initiative in a statement.

"We all share in the responsibility of making sure our children play age-appropriate video games," Clinton said, "and I'm pleased that the ESRB and retailers are working together to educate parents about the video game ratings and make sure they are enforced."

"I have long said that the ESRB ratings are the most comprehensive in the media industry," Lieberman noted. "There are many age-appropriate games that are clever and entertaining. Parents should understand and use the ratings to help them decide which video games to buy for their families."

Both senators have been vocal critics of the game industry in the past. Lieberman pushed the game industry to adopt a rating system in the early 1990s and has remained vocal on the subject of violent games ever since. Clinton came to the forefront of the industry's critics with the Grand Theft Auto Hot Coffee scandal, when she called for an FTC inquiry into the matter. Earlier this year, both senators called for the Centers for Disease Control to study the impact of electronic media use on children.

319 Comments

  • Scorpion16

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 9:30 pm PT

    You know what? Who gives a **** if parents don't pay attention to the ratings? Who gives a **** if kids are playing violent games? And who gives a **** if stores sell them to them. Violent games are not harmful and they aren't going to warp a kid's mind and they are not going to permantely corrupt them like some of these moralist blowhards think. I'm so sick of hearing about this. It's time for us to rise up and tell these politicians that we are sick and tired of this bull**** being pushed on us. We are tired of these nosey old fart ignoramoses blaming the latest popular trend for the deliquency of a few kids. Any parent who forbids their kid from playing violent games is a bad parent to me. Children should be taught fantasy from reality from the second they can talk and shouldn't be shielded from anything. Children need to see this kind of stuff because they may very well find themselves in a violent situation in life and exposing to them this will help them cope with it better. It also empowers kids who feel helpless in life. Violent media is good for kids not bad and we need to start realizing that.

  • clarke0

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 5:10 pm PT

    I don't care what anyone says, blaming the parents is a FANTASTIC idea! I mean, they are the ones who have been causing the problem all along, but no parent wants to admit that, so they rush out and blame developers because they can't help their own children live successful lives. Parents are the problem. They always have been. Hopefully this will at least inform parents that these games are not intended for children, and they are making a mistake when they hand GTA to their 6 year old son. They probably will continue to let their kids play M games though, because they are ignorant.

  • capthunt

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 1:45 pm PT

    LOL Like this will help. Just like Col-Neil has said its clearly visible on the box. Parents just dont care. It no different than violent movies. Hell ive seen PG-13 movies with plenty of violence and swearing. At least they arnt attacking hte games themselves and actually doing something constructive now.

  • Col-Neil

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 11:43 am PT

    Ugh this is so stupid, any one and i mean ANY ONE can clearly see by the 15 or 18 rating on games or movies that they are not for kids its just these ppl there just so god dam stupid and want to ruin every one elses enjoyment

  • zintarr

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 8:32 am PT

    Hillary, burn in Hell. Worry about who your husband is in bed with and stop bothering me about my games!

  • Aizou

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 6:59 am PT

    My shock that some politicians would actually be taking a logical approach to games was strong, but it was lessened when I realized that Jack Thompson wasn't involved. In the anti-gaming world they simply don't come kookier and dumber than him and he has no heart as prooven by his hate-filled obsession with insisting all gamers are going to hell, so I'd be surprised to see him do anything reasonable.
    But as far as Hilary and Lieberman are concerned, it helped my view on them to hear "pay attention to the ratings" as opposed to "all games are evil."
    Promoting the ratings is a far better stance that is more benificial to everyone, gamers and game critics alike. If the rating systems were more widely understood and recognized then people would realize as far as what material gets to what age groups the game industry does a better job of regulating itself than the others.

  • sugreev2005-06

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 4:53 am PT

    Let's see it when she starts playing GTA,will she have the power to put the controller down.

  • amogley

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 3:22 am PT

    OMG ... this almost seems like a sensible approach ... borderline sanity being expressed by politicians.

    I am quite happy with a ratings board if it works the same way as the video and movie industry, but it has to be reasonable.

    However, educating parents about rating systems has my full support. It's the parents who are ultimately responsible (IMHO)

  • placksheep

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 1:38 am PT

    I wish politicians would stop trying to forceably control what kids can and can not play. It's the parents' responsibility to make sure their kids aren't getting into stuff they shouldn't be.

    Quit trying to police the world and step off our individual freedoms.

  • Angel_Tale

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 4:42 pm PT

    Many people say that playing violent games creates serial killers, thieves, etc, but I dont think that, I mean Ive been playing M rated games since I was 10 years old, of course my parents dont know a thing about the ESRB ratings, but that its not the point, what I mean is that playing a game doesnt creates mass murderers, or any other criminal, so blaming the game developers is not a good option. But I think is ok that parents know about the ratings, that is better, than playing a violent game, your parents watch you playing, and they ground you for playing it, when they bought it to start with, all because they were ignorant about the ratings, so its a good thing that they are getting serious with the ratings.

  • MasterAsh42

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 3:12 pm PT

    Finally. . .This should have happened long ago, people. Congratulations, industry, you did it. You've made them understand. No more skewed rhetoric. No more vitriolic rants. No more witch hunts.

    Finally, the war can be put aside so peace may reign. . .

    Finally. . .

  • fmobliv06

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 2:01 pm PT

    i agree with Humidity. the game developers shouldn't get the blame

  • skipyou

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 1:39 pm PT

    i asked my mom if i can get an m rated game (fable) and she said no after thinking carefully for a moment. is it really that hard for other people to do the same? and if you're not sure about the content of the game they're selling to your kid ask some employee. then things like hot cofee wouldn't happen as much

  • Humidity

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 11:35 am PT

    It's the parents responsibility but unfortunately the parents don't care. I work at a GS and have seen it all. Parents saying they don't want to know what their kids are playing (literally), parents giving in almost immediately to their whining 12 year olds, parents even just automatically saying "okay" when I ask if they are sure they want me to sell an M-rated game to their child even after I read the reason for the rating to them directly off the box. I'll never forget the mom that bought her kid Manhunt & GTA: San Andreas and told me that she didn't care about the ratings. Sorry if this seems like a rant but I'm really tired of games getting the blame when it should rest with (aggressively) ignorant parents. I have yet to see a kid come into my store and buy a game with money that he got from working his 9 to 5 job.

  • Benshki

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 10:44 am PT

    I can argue for and against the gaming rating system. Mostly because i agree with parents being in the know how about what they're children play and use on there consoles or PC's. At the end of the day if that child is under 18, as it is in the U.K. i do believe right now, then its the parents responsibility to know what they're children are viewing and palying.

    On the other hand i wish the ESRB to not think the adult gamers of the world to be complete morons and think because i play games like Gear of war of some action/violent game im simply going to shoot out around living humans that is pure stupidity, true, some well but that obviously means they have a screw less in there brains surely?

  • BiA-Beast

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 9:29 pm PT

    maybe its because video games make chain sawing monsters in half just so much damn fun. it really makes me wanna go attach a chain saw to an m16 and go on a rampage. thank god we have ****** like hillary to decide the effects of video games on 10-30 yr old people even though she is like 50 and probably never played a minute in her life.

  • daser4454

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 9:03 pm PT

    wow i played fear i have the erge to kill real ppl........not

  • GANGSTA287

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 8:49 pm PT

    that's liberalism for u, they advocate free speech, but whine about people who have different views...

    and well, i didn't read the article above, but Hillary Clinton is the "Anti-Christ" so this is all a plot of the devil.

    Oh well, at least Lieberman is respectable, if that's possible for a Democrat in the U.S.

  • rbop

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 8:33 pm PT

    Way back on the second page of this thread maximillion wrote...

    "To Skeledragon: That was an unnecessary, partisan, and frankly, ignorant opinion you just expressed there. By definition, to be conservative is to be more close minded and resistant to change while being liberal is to be more open minded and to embrace change and/or what some might define as "progress".

    @Maximillion - You are an idiot and you have now forfeited your right to free speech. You may now live the rest of your days silently and apart from rational society. Skeledragon expressed a well articulated opinion that you may not agree with, however your retort was stupid and biased and everyone who read it is now approximately 10% dumber. Thanks!

  • RojAvon

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 1:55 pm PT

    Yet another reson to not vote for either of them.

    I'm no longer a Republican but darned If I'll ever vote for any Hillary.

  • bugexe

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 9:42 am PT

    oh sure it's the video games that make kids violent. it's not like they wouldnt go blow people up in the first place if they could. no, video games make them bad and the parents are totally innocent. and hillary clinton wants to run for president. *laughs hysterically*

  • Poshkidney

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 6:50 am PT

    burn the witch burn the witch burn the witch burn the witch burn the witch
    burn the witch burn the witch burn the witch burn the witch burn the witch

    and blame sodding parents for letting the kid have the game and blame the kid for blaming his or her stupidty on games

  • Mutated_Nantuko

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 12:33 am PT

    I dunno, there might be some truth to this. I played Doom 1 and ended up killing eleven people in a homicidal rampage before I was shot in the head. I mean, WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?!

  • Rhubarb9

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 11:31 pm PT

    hopefully we can start blamming the parents instead of the games next time something bad happens ;D

  • smur1701

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 9:06 pm PT

    This is what they should have done in the first place. Not try to pass laws, but do PSAs and leave it up to the parents/
    Wonder why that changed?
    Oh yes, election time in another year.
    If anyone vote for that shemale if she actually runs for Pres should be hung and qaurtered

  • VegetaMaelstrom

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 8:31 pm PT

    Jack Thompson must be feeling betrayed right about now. He wants to dismantle the ESRB and instead impose his ideas about what ratings each game should have. I think the ESRB is a good tool for parents to use and anything that makes it easier for them to become more involved in their children's activities is to be applauded. Hopefully Clinton and Lieberman can get that wingnut Leeland Yee from California on board as well as Wacko Jacko (Thompson).

  • Icepick_Trotter

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 8:00 pm PT

    Of course Lieberman likes ESRB... because it is as ridiculous as him! for ESRB if your game shows a single drop of blood it instantly becomes M. And don't let them catch your wargame full of soldiers showing the smallest dismembering, for as logical as for a wargame it may be, it makes the product an instant A-O, which stores, in a direct support for censorship will choose not to sell. Gimme a break... the ideal game for them would be a GTA in wich you bashed some guy's skull with a bat and it would show no blood, or what we see today: grenades blowing under people's feet and as a result getting a perfect corpse with all its limbs, in a desperate efort to keep their games under A-O.
    Now how good does THAT look? PS: we see ways such as that ridiculous of the consoles: having corpses fade away after few seconds, to prevent you from seeing a room full of corpses after your kill. irrational, and not that it helps much either...

  • ericblue21

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 7:15 pm PT

    pb1285n I somewhat agree what you said but think about there're parents who would go to 7-11 or gas station buy cigarette for their teenage children because the store clerk wouldn't sell it to them, I've seen that. Of course most parents whould not let their underage kids playing M rated games but the point is why would Clinton or Lieberman care about it? do they care what games you or I'm playing now? to me it just a show, they only do it forthemselves, not for the gamers.

  • feanorkms

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 7:10 pm PT

    I would never vote for Hillary, I'd rather have the anybody else. Sad to say for the republicans that Bush is their presidential candidate. Bush doesn't even act like a republican, just some oil-loving hick.

    Only games like Grand Theft Auto are putting a bad spin in Congress because it's popular (even though I personally don't like GTA). Out of the competing media like Movies and Music, games are quite reserved and censored. Movies and music constantly talk about sex and violence, those are the mediums we should worry about, not games. Parents just don't like their kids staring at their screens for so long and wish they'd go outside and do stuff they used to do because technology wasn't around then. The only reason there are cases where games hurt kids is pretty much the parent's fault for disciplining their kids wrongly, or for the most part not all all. Games would need no rating system if parents would explain to children that this is a fictional game, and that it is wrong to do in real life.

  • Redsyrup

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 5:49 pm PT

    Do books need a ratings board? And if they don't why does anything else. If our government insists on treating it's citizens like children they'll respond appropriately.

    I think Hillary is adopting Lieberman's techniques for media pandering. Its worked for Lieberman throughout the 90's and it'll probably work for her unless our social conscience has evolved.

    If she's running next political season I'd still vote for her, even if she choose Lieberman for a running mate. Any democrate in office is better than the alternative.

  • bachilders

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 5:41 pm PT

    clinton sucks ass

  • bootypatrol2009

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 5:28 pm PT

    do gamestores like gamestop and EB games sell M rated games to people over 17 or 18?

  • mke112

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 4:16 pm PT

    The great hillary is here to save us from ourselves! Thankyou! Where would we be without such godlike politicians, pure in virtue, supreme in knowledge, helping us in our miserable lives! Without such public announcements, we would never know we needed to eat our breakfast, never know we needed to cook our meat, never know we needed to wash our hands or take our blood pressure medicine! Without politicians like the great hiilary, we would all just be walking around in circles, hungry and with dirty hands, not even knowing why or what to do about it!

  • pb1285n

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 4:08 pm PT

    For once I fully support this. Don't stop the games from being released, instead make parents aware of the ratings. If you're 15 you shouldn't be able to walk into a store and buy an M rated game. If that upsets you, I am sorry but it's true. Parents need to be more involved in their kid's life. Good job Hillary for using common sense!

  • THEhockeyGAMER

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 4:03 pm PT

    go to hell hillary!

  • princeofgames90

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 3:57 pm PT

    She really hates games

  • OfficialBed

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 3:44 pm PT

    wow, shes dumb

  • crazymuncy

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 3:23 pm PT

    she may be blaming the parents at the moment but when if she becomes president like alot thinks she is going to try then the gameing world is going die. with that said if she ever run for president im going vote against her that will be the only time i ever vote. (unless she runs multiple times) the moral if she bocmes president then were all doomed.

  • frazzle00

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 2:53 pm PT

    Wow it took them this long to figure out that it is the parents' responsibility to ensure that their children don't buy objectionable material. I guess Dubya's powers of analysis are contagious.

  • Sephiroth99000

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 2:45 pm PT

    "Get out of my life Hillary. Go inform people of how bad cigars are for married couples."

    ftw!

  • alexman234

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 2:44 pm PT

    HEY IM STILL GETTING GTA 4 HALO 3 GEARS OF WAR 2 AND MANY OTHER M GAMES ok SO GO back IN THE WHOLE U CAME FROM

  • THEhockeyGAMER

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 2:39 pm PT

    clinton isthe most annoyin b---h ever. i swear to God

  • desanvium

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 2:35 pm PT

    I'l give you a hint on the impact of electronic media: politicians...don't...understand...videogames

    (however, from lieberman's comments in this article...I give him the benefit of the doubt for realizing that there are games for kids out there)

  • gamer_10001

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 2:27 pm PT

    At least she's going with the ESRB this time instead of trying to make a brand new rating system

  • Jurgatha

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 2:22 pm PT

    I hope this works, and gets all the little sh***s off of multiplayer. "I Got Needler!" go d dam it, another kid!

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 1:59 pm PT

    this is the first good news ive heard from politicians aobut gaming. they are no longer blaming the games...they are blaming the parents..and this is a very smart action to do

  • Hitman4Hire

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 1:50 pm PT

    Finally! All I hear from gamers is that Hillary is as bad as jack thompson and she hates games and blahblahblah. This is what she is trying to do! FINALL! And its what this industry has needed. Everyones quick to blame the developers, but no one is willing to blame the ignorant, moronic parents who have no idea what GTA even means, let alone what is in the game!

  • StumpyTrash

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 1:42 pm PT

    I'm surprised to hear them speak out in favor of the ESRB. At least there's a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down...

advertisement
Click Here

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!