Parent Television Council Says ESRB Compliance 'Abysmal'

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Well, people who think that video games are responsible for the degeneration of American youth are back at it again (though I’m sure they’ve never really stopped). Gamasutra reported that the Parent Television Council issued an “action alert” this week in which they report that 19% of underage secret shoppers were able secure themselves a copy of an M-rated game from various retailers, including K-Mart, Walmart and Target.

Of course, a 2009 Federal Trade Commission study found similar results, and they said that the video game industry “outpaces” other entertainment industries when it comes to self-regulation, and 19% doesn’t seem to be that steep anyway. But if I may, for a moment, I would like to weigh in on this whole “won’t somebody think of the children?!” debate. It doesn’t matter what devious game development companies make and market to your children, and it doesn’t matter what evil electronics employees attempt to sell your kid said devious products.

At the end of the day, your child still answers to you, and if you’re allowing your children to play violent video games, or turning a blind eye, or not caring enough to see what kind of products they bring home, you’re the only one left to blame. Parents are responsible for their child’s viewing and playing habits, and not being proactive in the hobbies your kid takes part in is not an excuse to use companies that develop and sell video games as a scapegoat.

Click the via link below if you want to see a full set of statistics.