£9 million thrown behind ‘net safety awareness crusade – but no cash promised for interactive entertainment equivalent
Gordon Brown's Government is pumping £9 million into internet safety advertising for parents, following recommendations made in the Byron Review in March – but has yet again failed to promise that it will cough up for a similar campaign when it comes to violent video games.
The news is included in the Government’s new Byron Review Action Plan, and is likely to be met with frustration by the UK industry.
Top UK industry execs and their trade bodies have previously expressed dismay over the prospect of paying for a public awareness campaign of 15- and 18-rated games – an idea proposed by Dr. Tanya Byron.
When questioned by MCV earlier this year on whether the Government would provide any financial assistance, Secretary Of State for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport Andy Burnham said:
“Principally, we're looking for the games industry to take that forward."
The new Byron Action Plan intends to ‘make the internet and video games safer for children’, and was published today by Children's Minister Kevin Brennan, Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker and Culture Minister Margaret Hodge.
According to Whitehall, the plans will ‘raise awareness of e-safety issues among children, young people, parents and other adults through a public information and awareness campaign which will begin in summer 2008 as part of a £9m investment by Government in communications to the public about child safety’.
However, despite the £9 million spend on awareness of ‘e-safety’, the Government makes no firm concessions in the release to fund of an advertising campaign to educate parents of the importance of BBFC age ratings.
It reads:
‘Once the proposals for a new classification system are published, we will begin discussions with industry to develop a full public awareness campaign to make sure that parents are provided with enough information to make an informed decision about what is appropriate for their child. We will be working with the games industry, retailers and the regulators to explore how best this can be achieved.
‘The Government will look to work with industry and regulators in establishing a comprehensive public awareness campaign once a new classification system has been published, following consultation. We will then be in a position to establish the full cost of a campaign.
‘The Government will look to industry in partnership with retailers and regulators to take forward codes of practice or agreed minimum standards that make the playing of video games safer for children.
‘The DCMS and BERR will help support and facilitate this process as part of its ongoing sponsorship responsibilities.’
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Comments
One to remember
Every story from here on out, every time the government use the game trump card i'll be the first to point out this little news story.
Its almost as if they want to keep gaming as their scapegoat ... hmmm
Anyone surprised?
Typical lack of insight that has been traditionally associated with British governments. Never mind the fact that its a burgeoning industry, and is going to be the mainstay of entertainment now.
Perhaps politicians think that if the give tax-breaks to UK games developers/publishers it will look bad on them as they will be seen to be encouraging GTA clones and teenagers to stab each other. Sounds ridiculous, but I can imagine a closeted, PC wary MP thinking that way.
Oh well, long gone will be the days where this country once had a strong and vibrant nucleus of talent like Edios. Woe betide firms like Codemasters competing in the future. Good to see Ubisoft gets the backing it deserves in its native country though . . . .
£9m!!
£9m!!
WTF?
Just in case anyone viewing this site is a billionaire, £9m is a lot of money.
I would love to know what it is exactly they're going to spend that money on?
I know it says 'e-safety' but that doesnt do it for me. All that says to me is, we're going to allocate £9m worth of tax payers money to putting banners on websites that tell parents what they already know.
Give me £9m and I guarantee I'll educate the UK parents a lot better than a bunch of stuid banners and flash sites. I'd probably have about £8m left over too!!
Idiots.
Urgh!! Just look at his big fat stupid face.
I cant believe this guy is running the country.
Re: £9m!!
I don't normally post on this thing, but my blood's boiling. How can they claim to support our work on age ratings, then offer us next-to-nothing in terms of support for this supposed awareness campaign?
If the 'net campaign - which, by the way, is an impossible medium to successfully regulate – gets £9m, why cant we get at least £1m? This is a joke. An absolute joke.
Re: Re: £9m!!
As an independent games retialer you can add this to the growing list of why I won't be voting Labour in the coming general election.
Re: Re: Re: £9m!!
Following on from this big joke from this "big fat stupid face", I'd like to see a real hilarious joke of a campaign if the industry has to pay for it...
Re: Re: Re: Re: £9m!!
If they are going to waster money on a half-arsed campaign, why don't they allocate that £9 million into a better cause like hospitals or researching an alternative to fossils fuels?
Bunch of idiots. We didn't even vote for the tosser in the first place, he just stepped in.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: £9m!!
I think it's time we, as members of the public, were heard on this. Anyone got Gordon's postal address so I can send him a stern letter?
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: £9m!!
Downing Street, London.
I forget which number, I think he moved. ;)
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