Parents Agree With ESRB Ratings
Gamespot reports that a study funded by the ESRB found that parents generally agree with the ESRB's ratings. From the article: "The study was conducted over 11 days in October, and included more than 400 parents. Each participant was shown footage from eight random games out of a pool of 80 titles rated by the ESRB within the last year. Each parent was asked to rate the game, then told what the actual rating was and asked to rate the rating as 'about right,' 'too strict,' or 'too lenient.'"
Not the solution either.
Seems mostly like people that the ratings are designed for, i.e. the ones that don't care to look into whether a game is appropriate for their kids or not, aren't looking at the ratings anyway.
I was talking to another parent about video games, and they were surprised by all the stuff that was in GTA. I asked them if they knew the game was rated M, and they said they didn't.
It seems to me that my kid looks at the ratings more than I do. He knows if he asks for a game that's rated M he's probably not going to get it.
I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
But... will that stop them from complaining about all the sex and violence in video games?
I doubt it. They'll still go after the game developers, even though it plainly says "M" on the box... when there's a simple solution: don't buy it for your kid if you think it's too violent. Just because it exists doesn't mean you need to buy it.
In short: Stop blaming others and start taking responsibility as a parent.