A poll finds that 60% of consumers believe the US government should directly regulate the sale of “violent” videogames. Fifty-one percent want the government to regulate game content, according to a poll by New York based PR firm Hill & Knowlton.
In other news, 51% of Americans have never heard of the First Amendment.
The Entertainment Software Association released a statement criticizing both the findings, and the timing of the statement during the Christmas shopping season.
Hill & Knowlton’s decision to release these findings was both unprofessional and unethical and its timing is questionable. We understand that parents have concerns about mature content getting into the hands of children and we are working to help make sure that does not happen.
We support the ESRB, which is the nation’s leading rating system working to educate and empower parents with game information. We have also worked within the industry to ensure that password protected, robust parental controls are included in all new videogame consoles sold. In addition, we work with retailers to encourage the enforcement of policies that prohibit the sale of mature games to minors.
NextGen points out that Hill & Knowlton selectively released their own data. According to NextGen, the study also found:
- More than two-thirds of 18-34 year olds currently play video games;
- Less than 1 in 5 Americans think playing video games is a negative way to spend time with friends and family;
- More than half of families think that video games are a positive way to spend time together;
- Educational video games are perceived to provide more learning than TV or DVDs.
In the 50s and 60s, Hill & Knowlton represented the tobacco industry, and claimed that smoking had no negative health effects. Just sayin’.
