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In an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this month, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski expressed his concern about the lack of child safety features  on the many electronic devices available to  kids today.

The Hill Online reports that Genachowski said the FCC may set a mandate for electronics manufacturers to include safety features on their products if the private sector does not do so on its own.

“It’s a very different world now. There are more TVs in the home. More importantly there are more channels on the TV that present many more challenges. TV's aren't the only screens anymore. Kids have computers and teachers are requiring them to consult the Internet to do their homework but there are obviously dangers for kids on the Internet. The mobile phone is a new screen that presents a whole realm of concerns," Genachowski said.

He added, “"I'm very hopeful that there can be private sector solutions," he said. "If there aren't, the government will act. The concerns parents have are serious."

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission issued a follow-up report on the efforts the entertainment industry is making to keep violent content away from children.

“Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children: A Sixth Follow-up Review of Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording, & Electronic Game Industries” reports that the video game industry has been most successful at keeping inappropriate content out of the hands of children—although there is still a long way to go. On the other hand, “the music industry has declined to implement rules restricting the marketing of explicit-content labeled music to children”, while “movie studios targeted violent PG-13 films to children under 13.”

In a separate statement, Chairman Jon Leibowitz says:

“Despite considerable improvements, the self-regulatory systems are far from perfect…the 35 percent ad placement standard still allows marketers to place ads in media with substantial youth audiences in terms of both size and composition. The movie industry releases unrated DVDs for purchase or rental, which—despite a new policy requiring disclosure on packaging and in print ads of the rating originally assigned the theater version—undermines the rating system enforced at the theatres.

For more about the report, and to read it in its entirety, as well as Chairman Leibowitz’s statement, see the FTC web site.