Byron Review

Immediate release

June 24th 2008

Tiga said today that it would play a full part in the debate and the implementation of the Byron Review’s recommendations. Tiga was commenting in response to the publication of the Department of Children, Schools and Families’ (DCSF) action plan to implement Byron’s recommendations.

The DCSF’s action plan involves six main areas of activity:

• the establishment of a UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS): this organisation will be a forum where Government departments, stakeholders and industry contribute to the development and delivery of a Child Internet Safety Strategy;

• regulation: the Government will explore self regulatory standards for industries to sign up to;

• a public information and awareness campaign: e-safety will be included in the Government's major child safety awareness campaign which will begin in summer 2008, supported by £9m investment and developed with the UKCCIS.

• better education: the UKCCIS will work with organisations such as Ofsted to ensure that children are protected from accessing inappropriate content on-line; and the new ICT Curriculum for Key Stage 3 in schools, planned for September 2008, will have an increased emphasis on internet safety;

• reforming the classification system for video games: the Government will publish a consultation document to determine the role of PEGI and the BBFC in the rating of video games;

• better information for parents: the Government will work with industry to determine a set of standards for in-store information with the aim of raising awareness to consumers at point of purchase and to ensure age-appropriate gaming.

Richard Wilson, CEO of Tiga, said:

“The video games industry is a responsible industry. We develop games for all age groups. Children and young people should be protected from viewing inappropriate content. Adult gamers should be free to play mature games.

“Society expects, the industry supports and parents deserve the provision of good quality information about video games. Tiga welcomes plans for a Government financed public information and awareness campaign, giving parents and children alike better information about video games and the internet.

“Tiga looks forward to contributing to the debate about the classification of video games, including online gaming. The potential increase in online gaming in the UK is considerable. The classification system needs to keep pace with developments in gaming.

“The Byron Review highlighted the scope for greater use of video games in education. There are also significant opportunities for increasing the use of ‘serious’ games in business and in the public services. The Government has a powerful role to play in stimulating the education and serious video games market through its procurement activities. It should examine these opportunities as part of the process of implementing the Byron Review.”

Notes to editors:

1. Tiga is the national trade association that represents games developers in the UK and in Europe. We have 155 members, the majority of whom are games developers, but we also have outsourcing companies and technology businesses as members who provide services to games developers. Tiga’s vision is to make the UK the best place in the world to do games business.

2. For further details concerning the DCSF’s action plan to implement the Byron Review’s recommendation, see: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/byronreview/actionplan

3. For further information, please contact: Dr Richard Wilson, Tiga CEO on: 0845 0941095; Mob: 07875 939643; or: Email: richard.wilson@tiga.org.