UK Government Forms Byron Review Action Plan

Britain’s Byron Review, in which the big-smiling Dr. Tanya Byron made a series of measured, generally reasonable findings and recommendations regarding children’s use of video games and the internet, has now produced an “action plan” from the UK government.

Starting in July, the government will work on proposing Britain’s classification system, and propose changes by 2009. Another phase of the plan will involve agreeing on a classification for online games, launching an awareness campaign for game ratings, developing appropriate parental controls in conjunction with the industry, and working with Trading Standards to ensure that games don’t get sold to kids of an age inappropriate to the ratings.

This is the sort of mutual-interest collaboration that seems to work a little better than some of the contentious and pricey (and ultimately unsuccessful) litigious efforts we often see in the States.

The sticking point remains the recommendation that the ratings system should favour the BBFC over PEGI – thereby resulting in further UK release delays, as we reported earlier.

Government publishes Byron Review action plan [GamesIndustry.biz]