News

US Examining UK Rating Report, Says Byron

UK-based clinical psychologist Dr. Tanya Byron has told Next-Gen that the US is examining her recently-released report, Safer Children in a Digital World.

UK-based clinical psychologist Dr. Tanya Byron has told Next-Gen that the US is examining her recently-released report, Safer Children in a Digital World.

"I do know for a fact that the US is looking at this report very carefully," Byron said in an interview Thursday. "I’ve had some very encouraging signs already from the US in terms of their response to this report. I hope that in the UK we can show that we can offer a model of really good practice which can be rolled out globally so that we can think more strategically and globally in terms of children, young people and digital safety."

Byron's report makes numerous recommendations to the UK government pertaining to children's use and exposure to interactive entertainment, including reforming the UK games ratings to match movie ratings and setting up programs to encourage "e-safety" among parents and children.

Byron also said her recommendations are "absolutely not" meant to restrict adults from playing adult-targeted games.

"I can understand that gamers fear that there will be a [clause in the study that says] ‘you can’t play these games anymore.’ I’ve not said that, I’d never say that, and certainly if I heard people beginning to use my review to try and imply that I will be very quick to say that that was not and will not be a recommendation of mine."