If you haven’t checked it out yet, the Byron Review has been released (full text here).  Tanya Byron, she’s a widely respected clinical psychologist who actually knows what she’s talking about.  She was commisioned by the Prime Minister of the UK to conduct an indepentant review of the risks to children from exposure to potentially inappropriate content on the internet and in video games.  Instead of a knee-jerk reaction typical in the media and Mothers know best, Byron presents a rational, evidence-based and analytical view of the situation.

Parents are often much less adept at the usage of technologies that have emerged during their child’s lifetime, and the review recommends improving the support framework so that parents can make decisions about their children in an educated manner, instead of reacting to fear-mongering impulses.

Some sample recommendations:

• Globally, the video games industry is thriving and the popularity of video gaming amongst children and young people is widespread. Games are diverse and developing rapidly, especially with the growth of online gaming and increasing convergence with other media, such as film. We need to take a sophisticated approach to classifying games and managing children’s access to them in the context of this diversity and convergence. We also need to recognise that there is no single solution to the problem of children and young people playing games that might not be appropriate for them.
• There are some possible negative effects of violent content in games, but these only become ‘harmful’ when children present other risk factors
• When it comes to content, parents want better information on which to base their decisions – but importantly, they do see it as their role because only they can take into account the characteristics of their children and the context in which they play. This is reinforced in the research evidence, where context and what the child brings to the gaming experience is key to understanding potential risks and harms.
• Children and young people need to be empowered to keep themselves safe – this isn’t just about a top-down approach. Children will be children – pushing boundaries and taking risks. At a public swimming pool we have gates, put up signs, have lifeguards and shallow ends, but we also teach children how to swim.