FTC Testifies on Marketing of Violent and Explicit Video Games

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has told Congress that the video game industry must make a greater effort in complying with and improving its currently self-regulated policies on the marketing of violent and sexually explicit video games.

In testimony before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the FTC stated, “As the [video game] industry continues to produce games with increasingly explicit content, it becomes even more incumbent upon industry to enforce and enhance its self-regulatory guidelines governing marketing, and upon retailers to implement and enforce policies restricting children’s access to Mature-rated games.”

The federal government has so far steered clear of regulating the expressive content in video games, considering it “protected speech” under the First Amendment.

The FTC’s attention was drawn to the issue based on complaints of unadvertised sexually explicit content in the video game “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.” The content, while not seen during regular game play, can be triggered by players.

According to their testimony, the FTC is also actively investigating whether children under age 17 are able to buy tickets to R-rated films at movie theaters, R-rated movies on DVD, explicit-content labeled music recordings, and M-rated video games.

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