“This report serves as a ‘best practices’ repository for researchers and policymakers,” said Dr. Craig Anderson of Iowa State University. “The report breaks new academic ground and offers new ideas for policymakers, public health advocates and parents.”

“Future research, including studies regarding the effects of media violence on children, will be well-served by this report,” added Dr. Douglas Gentile of Iowa State University. “The next step is to make these recommendations a reality.”

Among the recommendations listed in the report:

• Involve parental input and research, including how to make video game content descriptors more effective and useful.
• Identify reasons why parents disregard the M-rating (Mature, for age 17 and older).
• In addition to negative effects of violent video games, incorporate into video game ratings information for consumers about the potential beneficial effects of video games that offer positive attributes.
• Encourage scientific organizations to file amicus briefs, or friend-of-the-court briefs, in support of court cases involving video game sales restrictions.
• Establish dedicated educational programs for the judiciary system on how scientific research establishes probabilistic conclusions about causality and translating scientific research for court opinions / decisions.
• Make the message of harm from violent video game playing more consistent within and among scientists, public health organizations, the video gaming industry, and educational institutions, particularly at the elementary school levels, to help parents and their children clearly understand violent video game effects.

“These recommendations were designed to protect families from gratuitous violence and sex in video games and assist the ESRB in enhancing its ratings enforcement and educational efforts,” said Dr. David Walsh, president of the National Institute on Media and the Family. “While great strides have been made in improving ratings education and enforcement, more work is needed to address the rise of violence in video games.”

Walsh praised the Entertainment Software Rating Board’s recent decision to issue Take-Two’s Manhunt 2 an “Adults-Only” rating and its crackdown on video game trailers. He said it’s proof that the ESRB has made significant progress in keeping extremely violent and graphic materials out of children’s hands.

The National Summit on Video Games, Youth and Public Policy was held in November 2006. Participants included Patricia Vance of the ESRB, Jeff McIntyre of the American Psychological Association and U.S. Representative Betty McCollum.

The full report, including a full list of summit participants, is available on the National Institute on Media and the Family’s Web site, www.mediafamily.org/videogame2006summit.

About the National Institute on Media and the Family

The National Institute on Media and the Family is an independent non-partisan, non-sectarian, nonprofit organization. The Institute’s mission is to maximize the benefits and minimize the harm mass media have on children through research and education. For more information, visit www.mediawise.org.