Online Age Ratings Are Coming to the UK
By Stephany on Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 at 11:33 AM PST In Game Companies, Game Consoles, Game Platforms, Game Related Laws, Gamer Life, Games, Games Industry, Hardware, Portable
MCV is reporting that the British Board Of Film Classification has introduced age ratings for downloadable video games in the UK and that online retailers are to be policed to ensure that only age-appropriate content is being sold to each age group that the rating is specifically for. This includes “R” rated movies as well.
BBFC.online – a classification system for both e-retailers and downloadable games, film and TV content will soon be launched and the site will provide customer advise and clarify the “purchase screen” for downloadable content and the firm’s “black card” which will be placed at the start of any contented being downloaded. This also will require online retailers and content on demand sites to have age gate systems in check during purchase. All online retailers will be secretly checked with random “mystery shoppers” who will help enforce the new policies.
The voluntary system has already been agreed to by movie studios Walt Disney, Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox and 700 of the studios films already carry the logo when it comes time to check out. The news polices will also cover all formats that offered downloadable content and this includes game consoles, websites and mobile phones but will not affect online games such as World Of Warcraft and other MMOs.
Via: MCV
