Age Ratings & Parental Controls
Contents
PEGI
The Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) age rating system was established in 2003 to help improve understanding in European countries about age appropriate content in video games.
Initially developed by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE), the PEGI age rating system has been adopted by 35 European countries, including the UK and is supported by all major console manufacturers and publishers in Europe.
PEGI Age Labels
PEGI categorises games into 5 age classifications, each allowing different levels of age-appropriate content: (insert descriptions of PEGI age ratings here)
PEGI Content Descriptors
To make the nature of content that may not be age-appropriate clearer to consumers, PEGI also use ‘content descriptors’. These appear as symbols on the boxes of games, describing content such as violence and bad language in games: (insert content descriptors and their descriptions) (also include details of the ‘in-game purchases’ content descriptor added in 2018 https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/aug/30/video-games-that-allow-in-game-purchases-will-carry-pegi-warning)
Parental Contol Tools
All games consoles, smartphones and PC and Mac operating systems have options for parental controls, enabling parents to protect their children’s safety and privacy when gaming both online and offline. These parental controls can be used to:
- Select which games children are allowed to play
- Control and monitor the use of digital purchases
- Limit internet browsing
- Control the level of online interaction
Details of parental control tools on specific consoles and platforms are listed below:
Xbox
Microsoft advises parents to create ‘family accounts’ on Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles. An Xbox family account is free to create and allows parents to prevent unauthorised purchases, set content age limits and set screen time limits.
Nintendo
For the Nintendo Switch, a parental controls app can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. This can be used to restrict the types of games children are able to play on the Switch console and set screen time limits.
PlayStation
Parental controls can be set up in the settings of the PlayStation 4. Settings can be adjusted to set monthly spending limits, restrict access to network features, disable use of the web browser and prevent children from playing non-age-appropriate games. The PlayStation website also has a guide on how to prevent children from changing parental controls.
Google Play
The Google Play store (for Android devices) allows parents to set parental controls on apps, games, music, films, tv and books. Unlike console games, mobile games are not given age ratings by PEGI and instead are rated by the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC). Limits can be placed on children’s Google Play accounts to restrict access to certain games based on IARC age ratings. Parents can also block and unblock their children from using individual apps.
iPhone and iPad
In the settings for iOS devices, content and privacy restrictions can be set up, purchases can be prevented, explicit content in apps and games can be restricted and limits on screen time can be set. A passcode can be created on iPhones and iPads to prevent children from disabling these parental controls.
(Also include advice from non UK bodies)
