Games should "dis-incentivise" long periods of play

Videogame developers should dis-incentivise gamers from long periods of play by allowing players to achieve the highest scoring aspects of a title early on in the game's life cycle.

That's according to John Carr, executive secretary at the Children's Charities Coalition for Internet Safety, who gave evidence at the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee hearing today.

He raised the argument that there were a number of concerns over videogames, other than the issue of violence — including reports of children "dying at their consoles" — that need to be addressed.

While fellow panellist at the hearing Professor Sonia Livingstone, from the London School of Economics, pointed out that there is no clear evidence that videogames provide benefits to children, she also pointed out that there is no clear evidence that they harm children either - but there was evidence suggesting repetition of actions could be a problem.

And following up that point, Carr added: "No concrete evidence of harm doesn't mean there's no harm," adding that the industry had ethical responsibilities and must use common sense in the likely absence of "cast iron, solid, empirical evidence."

Professor Livingstone also raised the subject of age ratings in games, and highlighted reports that large numbers of children played games at home that according to the ratings were not appropriate.

Carr then added his belief that some parents misunderstood the nature of age ratings, believing them to relate more to a general skill level suggestion, instead of advice on potentially damaging content.

Much of the rest of the session was taken up with discussion of what actually constitutes harmful material, and how such content could be kept out of the way of children on the Internet.

The consensus among the panel was that parents needed more help and better tools to educate themselves and their children about the potential dangers online.

The CMS Select Committee has been set up to examine the effects of violence on the Internet and in videogames, and is currently hearing evidence from a number of related industry experts, before reporting its findings later in the year.