Dr. Tanya Byron's report will be published in March next year – and YOU can contribute
The UK Government has launched its official ‘call for evidence’ over the risks to young people from violent video games – and is asking you to help the inquiry.
As reported by MCV last month, the research – which also looks at the availbility of ‘violent or pornographic’ material on the internet – is being headed up by Dr. Tanya Byron, who is best known for her work on TV’s House Of Tiny Tearaways.
And the Government has asked members of the industry, concerned parents and other interested parties to answer questions compiled by Byron, which include:
• What are the benefits and opportunities that new technologies offer for children, young people, their families, society and the economy?
• What are the potential or actual risks to children’s safety and wellbeing of going online and playing video games and how do children, young people and parents feel about those risks?
• To what extent do children, young people and parents understand and manage those risks and how well are they supported to do so?
• What, if anything, could be changed in order to help children, young people and parents manage the potential or actual risks of going online or playing video games, and what are the pros and cons of different approaches?
To give your view, email Tanya Byron on byron.review@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk. The full list of questions can be found here.
The deadline for contributions is 5pm on Friday 30 November, after which the research and Byron’s findings will be presented to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
The final report will be published at the end of March next year.
Byron said: “Anybody who has children will know that video games and the internet are a part of childhood like never before. This is tremendously positive. New technology is giving kids opportunities to learn, have fun, be creative and communicate in ways that previous generations could only dream of. But many parents still feel ill-equipped to help their children navigate this technology safely.
“By issuing my call for evidence today, I want to start a debate about how Government, industry and society as a whole can support parents to guide our children into the virtual world, with the same confidence as when we show them how to stay safe in our local community.”
Secretary of State for Children for Schools and Families Ed Balls added:
“We all value the great educational, social and entertainment benefits that the internet and video games technologies offer.
"However I know parents want to have information on how their children can take advantage of the positive benefits of these technologies, whilst being able to protect them against the risks.
“It is vital that those who are most informed in these areas come forward and engage with Dr Byron to see what more can be done to help families enjoy video games and the internet safely. I encourage everyone with an interest in this important debate to have their say.”
The project was first set in motion by Gordon Brown on September 5th, when he promised that he would not censor games – regardless of the result of the inquiry.
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Comments
A little sugestion
In the kindest possible way Dr. Tanya Byron please go and jump off the nearest tall building. If you dont wish to do this then kindly include in your report that the government should also go jump and stop trying to tell the little man what too do. We pay and own your sorry little behinds so do what your told!!
Unkind regards
Mr A. Nnoyed-Gamer
Cynical government seek votes
The politicians here are just trying to score cheap political shots against a soft target because they think it will get them votes.
I have written it up in my blog today: http://www.bruceongames.com/2007/10/09/sex-and-drugs-and-rock-and-roll/" onclick="window.open ( this.href ); return false;" class="comment_url" >http://www.bruceon...roll/
Here are the first 3 paragraphs:
"Many years ago, when I was young, we had a pop/rock music revolution. And it belonged to us, the young generation. And all the old people, like 25 and over, didn’t understand what was going on. So they blamed our music for all the ills of society. Mick Jagger was single handedly responsible for the nationwide rise in teenage pregnancy and unmarried cohabitation. The press painted him as the devil incarnate. Yet now he is a pillar of society. If, back then, you had suggested that the Queen would give him a knighthood you would have been laughed at.
Now history is repeating itself. The Daily Mail and everything else that is bad in the media have been on an anti games crusade. The main reason for this is because they are ignorant and don’t have the faintest idea what they are talking about.
So the government have set up a review to “study of the effect of violent computer games on children”. I can save them the taxpayers money and tell them in advance what the answer to this is. It keeps them entertained. The funny thing here is that when it comes to censorship the British are obsessed with violence and have historically banned a lot of films that the rest of the world were allowed to see, whilst the Americans are obsessed with censoring sex. They would have another revolution if the best selling newspaper there started putting topless girls on page 3."
Re: A little sugestion
My suggestion would be for the government to announce a patronising 'review' of games where they try to placate dumb/angry parents who dont spend enough time with their kids to notice what games they are playing.
In this fashion they will look like they care and hopefully win some votes for the election when Gordon finally decides to have one. After thats all out of the way they can just disregard any findings in the report and just do what they think is best, which will likely mean more censorship for proper adult gamers.
Re: A little sugestion
Punish the parents not the gamers, what a bloody hypocrisy, but that's the Labour Goverment for you, still they won't be there much longer.
Urgh, here we go again...
Yesterday I thought this was a good thing.
Today as more details filter in I'm not sure on the direction being taken.
She seems to be singling out video games from other media as being potentially worse for children, I wonder if any studies were done for film in the same way?
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