Videogames 5 - the regulation of the videogame industry

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So what are the issues as to how videogames are regulated?

'The regulation of the videogame industry is largely ineffective, thanks to digitally convergent technologies.'


Prior to 1989, videogames were for the most part fully unregulated under any official body in Europe, until the creation of the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (or ELSPA) which were the most prominent regulatory body, who gave out guidelines on what was to be allowed, versus not, etc. 
The Dreamcast Junkyard: Parental Guidance
Pan European Game Information (or PEGI) came up in 2003, which provide age ratings for each game, '3, 7, 12, 16 or 18.' and alongside this also 'content descriptors' which describe more so specific details of the game, ranging from extremely vague indicators like 'bad language' or 'fear' to the more bluntly obvious such as 'sex', 'violence', etc. None of which are actual obligations for retail stores both physical and online to follow when selling copies of the products. It is a completely advisory system, meaning it really has no genuine baring on things whatsoever.
PEGI Age Ratings – AskAboutGames
There are some circumstances games like 'Resident Evil 2' by Capcom, recieved BBFC ratings as opposed to a PEGI or ELSPA one. The first in the UK was a game by the title of 'The Seventh Guest' in 1993, others such as 'Night Trap' also recieved such. Notably Resident Evil 2 is a gorey zombie survival game, though that being said the actual content of the game is for the most part silly as opposed to horrifying or posing any real danger to it's playerbase. 'Silent Hill' by Konami on the otherhand, is franchise based on psychological horror with many adult themes, despite this, Silent Hill recieved no BBFC rating, but simply a PEGI one of 18+...

Regulation refers to the rules and restrictions of a which in this case a videogame must follow. Theorists Sonia Livingstone and Peter Hunt would argue that the rise of digitially convergent technologies is putting media regulation is specific at detrimental risk. 

The types of regulation:
PEGI would be a consumer based content regulation, in that it is established 'to help European customers make informed decisions when buying video games or apps.', it is a guiding hand versus a must-follow system. My mom bought me Call of Duty: Ghosts. I played it. Was I old enough? No.

Self regulation is pretty self explanatory (pun not intended.), Its for example, a 'code of conduct' followed by digital distribution services, for example, YouTube and its ridiculous moderation system, which in turn is extremely flimsy, but it still throws away any blame from YouTube onto the consumer. You click the 'I am 18' box when it asks you, your fault for what you see.

In my time. One would have to beg their mom to buy their copy of the extremely exciting 'Call of Duty: Ghosts' for them, but in this day and age they can simply hop on a torrenting site like Pirate Bay after a few minor haltings from their Internet Service Provider with relative ease and can start downloading a copy, regardless of if its ethical, legal, anything.


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