Chinese government to rate video games

In a move that reveals the continuing concern of the Chinese government with the free flow of information over the Internet, Beijing has established an official body that will rate and recommend video games, especially online games, which the board determines to be "healthy," the Chinese state media organization Xinhua reported this week.

The Video Games Committee of the Chinese Adolescents Internet Association will rate all video games for "degree of violence, pornography, terror and content of cyber chatting." The committee will then divide games up into three categories based on age--middle school, high school, and adult.

In addition, the government will become involved in rating the online multiplayer games that are becoming increasingly popular in China's Internet cafes, and in establishing servers where "healthy," "recommended" games can be downloaded. Online games will also be rated for their levels of "pornography, violence, horror, social morality and cultural implications."

In 2003, China estimated that it had over 13.8 million online game players and 87 million Internet users.