CrunchArcade: Doctor clarifies her games rating recommendation, says not meant to punish adults

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A little present showed up in my iTunes Podcast section a few minutes ago. The Game Theory podcast interviewed Dr. Tanya Byron, who’s recommendation to restrict the sale of violent video games shook the Earth to its core. She made it quite clear that her recommendation shouldn’t preclude adults from enjoying games like “Grand Theft Auto IV,” but that the description on the back—”contains sexual imagery and graphic violence,” for example—of the box should be revised. She agreed that children mature at different rates—a 10-year-old can be just as mature, if not more, as a 12-year-old. So, make the ratings as clear as possible, so as to make parents’ job easier. She also mentioned that the report was being looked at by the relevant U.S. agencies, so, fingers crossed, we might see a ratings overhaul here, too.

So, hardly anything to go crazy about. Feel free to go about your day now.