Washington – Rep. Joe Baca (D-Rialto) announced legislation today that asks for a government review of the video game industry’s rating system and aims to keep violent and sexually explicit video games out of the hands of children.

H.R. 1145, The Software Accuracy and Fraud Evaluation Rating Act, or SAFE Rating Act, would require the Federal Trade Commission to examine the voluntary rating system of the video game industry to determine if its practices are unfair or deceptive. If the FTC finds the rating system to be deceptive to consumers, then it will have the power to order the industry to change its rating system.

Rep. Baca has been fighting to protect children from video game violence since he was elected to the U.S. Congress. He introduced legislation in the 107^th and 108^th Congresses that would have imposed fines on individuals who sold violent or sexually explicit video games to minors. The new legislation focuses instead on how the games are rated, but the goal remains to protect children from video game violence. Currently the Entertainment Software Rating Board, a self-regulatory body established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association, rates video games.

“This time we are going straight to the video game industry and saying, ‘we are holding you accountable for your product. We are going to make sure you do not misrepresent your product,’” said Rep. Baca.

“The argument we hear, time and time again, is that parents should be able to decide what games their children can play. I agree, but how can parents make these decisions if the information they are given, the game’s rating, isn’t accurate? This bill will ensure that parents have accurate information when they decide which products to purchase for their children.

“This bill avoids many of the Constitutional questions that other bills regarding the sale of video games have brought up. We are not trying to prevent the industry from selling their product, we are just asking them to make sure that they rate their product accurately.

“Many games that are rated Mature actually have content that should be rated Adults Only. Parents are buying games that are inappropriate for their children, not knowing that it may contain sexually explicit and highly violent content. Some of these games depict sex with prostitutes, cop killing, robbery and assault of individuals including women and seniors.”

An increasing amount of scientific evidence indicates that playing violent video games is positively related to aggressive thoughts and behavior, and delinquency.

“As a concerned parent, grandparent and consumer, and the co-chair of the Congressional Sex and Violence in the Media Caucus, I have consistently fought to ensure that our children are not exposed to heavy doses of sex and violence at an age when their minds and values are still being formed and they may have difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality.”

The bill has 20 cosponsors and is supported by Mothers Against Violence in America, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Parents Television Council, Center for Successful Parenting Mothers Against Violence and Child-Responsible Media.