Parent’s Guide to
Video & Computer Games

Video & Computer Games: Entertainment for Families

A healthy media diet means limits and balance.

Who likes to say "no" to their kids? And what kid comes with moderation installed? Because media is such a huge part of children's lives, we can't just shut it out. Besides, it's fun and can be an important learning tool.But kids need limits and guidelines. Just as we don't let our kids eat junk food all day long, we need to give them healthy ground rules for choosing and using media.

Play games with your children. Parent-child play opens up pathways of communication and bonding and gives mums and dads the ‘cred’ they need to monitor their children’s experience, set rules and learn about the emerging world of interactive entertainment.

One of the best and easiest ways to manage your child's game play is to play the games with him/her. If you're a technophobe, don't let intimidating technology or jargon stop you from playing with your child. While it's true that some genres of video games practically have their own language, kids under 8 won't be talking over your head. That said, be prepared for some humiliation.

Use Australian Classifications (Ratings)

Computer games, whether they are locally made or come from overseas, have to be classified before they can be sold, hired or demonstrated in Australia.  The Classification Board classifies films, computer games, and publications and some internet content.

Consumer Advice (content descriptors)

The Classification Board also adds consumer advice to indicate the type of content in a game.  Consumer advice does not include descriptions of all content.
 
For example a game classified M - Moderate Coarse Language will include language of a moderate impact that requires an M classification; but it may also include violence that could be accommodated at a lower classification such as PG, even if the violence is not mentioned in the consumer advice.

Classification Impact Very mild content Mild content PG was previously G8+ Moderate content M was previously M15+ Strong content People under 15 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian when hiring or buying these computer games

Tips for Parents

Check the Classification. Use both the classification symbol and consumer advice on the front of the package to select the most appropriate games for your child and family. Visit the Classification website to search for classification information before you head out to the shops.

Carefully read and look at the package. Game content is described and depicted in detail on the back of virtually every game box.

Talk to other parents and older children. This is a good way to learn about computer and video games.

Monitor your child’s computer game play. Just as with TV, movies, and the Internet, it is always a good idea to be aware of and involved in the media your children consume.

Learn about and use parental controls. All of the newest video game consoles and handheld hardware devices, as well as the new operating system from Windows (Vista), offer parents the ability to limit what type of content their children can access by activating built-in parental control features. By activating parent controls you can ensure that your kids only play games that carry ratings you deem appropriate for them.

Consider your child's unique personality and abilities. Nobody knows your child better than you do.  Use your knowledge about your child when selecting computer and video games.

Play computer and video games with your children. Play games and talk about them with your kids as often as possible. This is a good way to have fun together as well as getting to know which games your child finds to be interesting and exciting.

Read more than the ratings. Game reviews, trailers and "demos" that allow you to sample games are broadly available online and in game enthusiast magazines.  They can provide additional detail about game content that is useful when determining which games are appropriate for your family.

Exercise caution with online-enabled games. Some games let users play with other people on the Internet, but it’s important to realize that some of these games contain live chat features or other user-generated content, including character models (“skins”), settings (“maps”), weapons and other content that are not part of the Classification Board decision.

Be aware of downloadable “mods” that can significantly change the content of a game. Most PC games can be altered through the use of downloadable programs called “mods” which are broadly available on the Internet and can change the content of the game. Since players create them, mods are not considered in classifications. It is important for parents to be aware that some mods can alter a game in ways that may not be appropriate for younger players and may be inconsistent with the Classification.

Parental Controls

Parents now have additional management tools once computer games are brought into their homes.

Major game console developers (Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo) all offer parental control tools in their new gaming systems. For example, the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii consoles allow parents to enter the Australian Government classification level that they believe is acceptable for their children. Once they do so, no game above that level can be played on the console. Classified games contain embedded metadata “flags,” or a string of code in the software, that allow the consoles to automatically recognise the game’s rating.

Personal computers using the new Microsoft Windows Vista operating platform have the same screening capabilities as these stand-alone gaming consoles. For example, parents can set the classification threshold on their child’s video game console or personal computer to PG for pre-teens and then no games rated M or MA15+ can be played on the console (or PC) unless the parent first enters a password.

Sony’s PlayStation 3 console and PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld gaming system work a little differently. Both Sony gaming products let parents use a 1-11 scale to determine the level of game content.