PARENTS in Inishowen
have been urged to check the suitability of computer
games bought for children after it emerged that many
local youngsters are seeking age 18 rated games as
gifts this year.
Speaking to the Inishowen Independent this week,
Gertrude Houten, spokesperson for parenting group
Parentstop, said parents and relatives purchasing
computer games for younger children should ensure
they are suitable for the children they are bought
for.
Her comments come in the wake of an examination of
the hundreds of letters sent to Santa through the
Inishowen Independent which showed that children as
young as six were requesting games that have been
classified as suitable only for people aged 18 years
or older.
“There is a age rating system for games that is the
same as there is for movies and I would urge adults
to ask themselves is this game suitable for a child
before they buy it.”
The local Parentstop representative said she was
aware at this busy time many adults might buy a gift
for a child because it is what they have asked for
without taking the time to check it out, but urged
caution in relation to video games.
“If you are buying a game for a child take time to
check and make sure that it is suitable for their
age group and ask other adult relatives or friends
to do the same.”
The age ratings system contains five classifications
(3+, 7+, 12+, 16+ and 18+) and takes account of
levels of violence, sexual content or bad language
in games. Of 8,000 games certified by the PEGI
system, only one, Manhunt Two, has ever been banned
in Ireland, with the vast majority of games
receiving a 3+ and 7+ classification.
Last week Ger Connolly, deputy director of film
classification at the Irish Film Classification
Office (Ifco), said the Pegi system is a very robust
system and suggested that inappropriate content
making its way to minors may have more to do with
issues of parental control than access.
Meanwhile Santa who called to the Inishowen
Independent for his letters during the week said he
had noticed a number of children has asked for games
that he felt were not appropriate, adding he’d
prefer to bring more age appropriate games to
children who has asked for such gifts. |
