Protection of Minors- video games - hearing
Hearing on video games and protection of minors
Brussels, 8 July 2009
2008 - The
Communication
In April 2008, the Commission with its Communication on video games signalled the growing importance of video games both in social and economic terms and explicitly showcased the video games industry, arguing that it is about to become a major pillar of European media culture.
Successful commercial development must evolve hand-in-hand with improved protection of minors; so the Communication strongly underlined the importance of graduated access using age classifications. The Commission welcomed progress to date, but called for further improvements and greater awareness of existing protection systems.
July 2009 - Hearing on video games and the protection of minors
On 8 July 2009, Commissioner
Reding, experts and relevant stakeholders met in order to assess progress
towards improved protection of minors and identify further measures as
necessary.
Panel discussions were organised on the following
topics:
- Raising awareness among parents and consumers;
- Online Games: particular risks, specific responses?;
- Towards a pan- European Code of Conduct for the retail sale of video games.
Keynote
speech by Ms. Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Information Society and
Media, European Commission.
Presentations made at the hearing:
Panel 1 - Raising awareness among parents and consumers
Mr.
Peter Behrens
Video games and young people - Results of the JIM-Study
Raising awareness among parents and consumers - Safer Internet Centre Germany -
klicksafe
Mr.
Zdenek Zalis
Czech National Safer Internet Centre
Mr.
Paul Fox
Microsoft’s ‘Play Smart, Play Safe!’ Campaign
Panel 2 - Online Games: particular risks, specific responses?
Mr.
Jeffrey Goldstein
Video games: Effects and applications
Mr.
Martijn Huigsloot
NICAM and PEGI Online
Panel 3 - Towards a pan-European Code of Conduct for the retail sale of video games
Mr.
Willem van Teeseling
BURO 240a - Fulfilment and enforcement - A Dutch approach
Mr.
Marcin Turski
SPIDOR - Retail campaign rules
