With all the new video game consoles, fancy mobile devices and popular video games on the market, it’s actually deceptively easy for parents to make smart decisions about which games and apps are OK for their children and family to play.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) — the non-profit organization that assigns age and content ratings to video games and mobile apps — offers the following tips for the holiday season and beyond:
- Activate parental controls: Video game consoles and mobile devices allow parents to activate various password-protected controls to block certain types of video games or apps based on the age rating. Depending on the device, you can also manage online access, prevent in-app purchases and limit how much time your child can play. To make it simple for parents, ESRB provides step-by-step guides and instructional videos for setting parental controls on a wide variety of game platforms.
- Be informed: Regardless of where the purchase is made — online or in-store — a little “window-shopping” beforehand can help you make an informed decision. Retailer and game enthusiast websites often have photos, videos and reviews that provide a preview of the game. Be sure to review the information about a mobile game or app on the storefront detail page before it is purchased or downloaded.
- Check the rating: Just like movies and TV shows, some games are meant for children, while others are intended for adults. This is why all video games are assigned an age rating and content descriptors. Simply use the free ESRB Rating Search App to find out a game’s rating and consult more detailed rating summaries, whether in the store or on the go. The same familiar ratings are also assigned to mobile games and apps in Google Play and the Mozilla Firefox Marketplace and for downloadable games on Microsoft’s Xbox Live store, Nintendo eShop and the PlayStation Store.
Hopefully these simple tips can help make this holiday season a little less stressful— and joyous and fun for the entire family. Happy Holidays!
About Patricia Vance
Patricia Vance is president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), a non-profit, self-regulatory body that assigns age and content ratings for video games and mobile apps so parents can make informed choices. It also enforces advertising guidelines adopted by the video game industry and helps companies implement responsible online and mobile privacy practices under its Privacy Certified program. She is Chairperson of the International Age Rating Coalition, an interactive media expert and mother of two. For more information visit www.esrb.org and www.globalratings.com.
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