NH INSIDER

'Tis the season for politicians to renew calls for rejiggering an entertainment ratings system - various presidential candidates have even called for a heavy-handed ratings system (see news story).  But a new report from the CEI explains why politically imposed rating schemes – whether for video games, radio, film, television, and comic books – prove a poor substitute for the free market.

The United States, alone among major industrial nations, relies almost entirely on the market for the distribution and rating of entertainment media, and the market-based ratings system works.

Even if the First Amendment allowed it—and it doesn’t—the study argues that parents simply don’t need politicians to dream up a heavy handed ratings system.

Rather than push for Congressional involvement in rating video games, parents should try to involve themselves more closely with the games their children play.

Read the Issue Analysis: Politically Determined Entertainment Ratings and How to Avoid Them 

Or, contact the Policy Experts:

Cord Blomquist 

Technology Policy Analyst

cblomquist@cei.org 

Eli Lehrer 

Senior Fellow

elehrer@cei.org