The Coalition for Independent Ratings Services
is a non-profit organization that promotes independent ratings services. We believe is crucial that the groups rating the movies, TV, video games, etc are not the same ones who are trying to sell those products to you. Since they don't have a financial interest in any particular product, independent ratings providers can be much more objective.
The goal of this site is to be a "one-stop shop" for everything related to independent ratings systems and services.
Click the links above to
- Read our blog
- Read the latest news related to ratings
- See the most complete list of independent ratings on the web
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New Mobile Application Rating System Announced by ESRB & CTIA |
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CTIA - The Wireless Association and the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) have announced a new rating system that AT&T, Microsoft, Sprint, T-Mobile USA, US Cellular, and Verizon Wireless will voluntarily support.
A press release on CTIA's web site states:
"The CTIA Mobile Application Rating System with ESRB will utilize the well-known and trusted age rating icons that ESRB assigns to computer and video games to provide parents and consumers reliable information about the age-appropriateness of applications...When developers submit their applications to a participating storefront they will be able to complete a detailed yet quick multiple choice questionnaire that is designed to assess an application’s content and context with respect to its age-appropriateness. This includes violence or sexual content, language, substances, etc., as well as other elements such as a minimum age requirement, the exchange of user-generated content, the sharing of a user’s location with other users of the application and the sharing of user-provided personal information with third parties. Once developers complete all answers to these questions, their applications are rated within seconds. Each rated app is issued a certificate and a unique identifying code that may be subsequently submitted to other storefronts during their respective onboarding processes, avoiding the need for developers to repeat the rating process. This means consistent ratings across participating storefronts and a convenient, cost-free process for app developers."
The ESRB says that it will monitor consumer complaints and frequently test the most popular applications.
For the full press release, see the CTIA's web site. |
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Safeguards for Children's Online Privacy Needed, Advocates Say |
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 The Children's Online Privacy Act of 1998 may have some changes coming, and, according to experts, they are very much needed. Kathryn C. Montgomery, professor of communications at American University, testified before Congress last week urging for more safeguards for children's online privacy. Said Mongomery:
"Today’s children are growing up in a ubiquitous digital media environment, where mobile devices, instant messaging, social networks, virtual reality, avatars, interactive games, and online video have become ingrained in their personal and social experience. Members of this generation of young people are, in many ways, living their lives online. With the current expansion of digital media platforms and the growing sophistication of online data collection and profiling, however, it is now critically important that the intent of COPPA be fully implemented to protect young people from new commercial practices in today’s digital media environment."
Her testimony came as the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade of the House Energy and Commerce Committee began hearings on possible changes in COPA of 1998. Whether “surfing, studying, chatting or playing video games, kids today are spending more and more time online,” said Rep. Mary Bono Mack, leader of the subcommittee, in opening comments.
Read Ms. Montgomery's full here, at the Center for Digital Democracy's web site. |
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New Study Suggests Video Game Competition, Not Violence, the Root of Aggression |
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 A study published recently in the jounal Psychology of Violence suggests that it's the competitive nature of some video games--not its violent content--that leads to aggression.
The research included two experiments; first, 42 college students who played either the violence-packed game Conan or the competitive racing game Fuel. After playing, the Hot Sauce paradigm was used:
"The Hot Sauce Par- adigm (Lieberman et al., 1999) was used to measure overt aggressive behavior. Participants were asked to prepare some hot sauce for an- other participant to drink who does not like hot sauce (note that there actually was no other participant). Participants were asked to choose the intensity of hot sauce (ranging from 1(least hot) to 4 (most hot) and the amount, knowing that the other participant had to drink whatever amount was in the cup."
The second experiment involved 60 students and four video games--two violent and two non-violent. One of each category was more competitive than the other in that category. Those who played the more competitive games chose hotter sauces.
The full text of the experiment can be seen here. |
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Fast-Paced Cartoons Shown to Affect Children's Concentration |
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 A new study published in the journal Pediatrics has found that fast-paced cartoons have an immediate impact on a child's executive functions. Sixty four-year-olds were randomly assigned to either draw for 9 minutes or watch 9 minutes of the cartoon Sponge Bob Square Pants on Nickelodeon or Caillou, an educational PBS show about a 4-year old boy.
The study found:
Just 9 minutes of viewing a fast-paced television cartoon had immediate negative effects on 4-year-olds' executive function. Parents should be aware that fast-paced television shows could at least temporarily impair young children's executive function.
Angeline Lillard, lead author of the study says that fast-paced or unrealistic events may over-stimulate the brain, making it more difficult to trigger executive function, a process used to complete tasks.
Information on the study, along with a link to the full text, can be seen here. |
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"Healthy Media for Youth Act" Introduced |
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Actress Geena Davis, founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, has teamed up with Senator Kay Hagan and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin to introduce a bill that would improve the image of girls in media. Reuters reports that:
The legislation would provide grants to encourage and support media literacy programs and youth empowerment groups, facilitate research on how depictions of women and girls in the media affect youth.
In the same article, Davis explains why this legislation is needed:
"What children see affects their attitudes toward male and female roles and impacts the value they place on girls and women in society. The Healthy Media for Youth Act will help ensure we are creating a positive media environment for all our children."
The bill, H.R. 4924, was introduced on July 13, 2011.
To learn more about this bill and Geena Davis' work to improve gender portrayals in children's media, see the Institue's web site, at www.thegeenadavisinstitute.org. |
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