by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 19, 2008) Certain retail outlets are doing a better job than others of keeping adult-rated entertainment out of the hands minors, but more progress needs to be made according to a recently released undercover survey by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
In a report released May 8, the FTC said there was a “major improvement” in the number of underage teen shoppers who were able to buy M-rated video games at retail outlets. Only 20 percent of the undercover shoppers were able to buy adult-themed games, down from 46 percent in 2006. Outlets such as Game Stop/EB Games, Wal-Mart and Best Buy did the best job of screening buyers with less than 20 percent being able to purchase the videos. Circuit City and Hollywood Video were among the worst, allowing sales to minors 38 to 41 percent of the time.
Sales of movie adult-rated DVD’s to minors showed much less improvement. Roughly half of the undercover shoppers were able to purchase R-rated and Unrated movie DVDs and PAL (Parental Alert Label for explicit content) music CD’s at retail stores. While only 25 percent of the underage shoppers were able to buy adult films at Wal-Mart, 65 percent could purchase them at Target.
The sale of unrated movies – some of which have content that could result in a NC-17 rating – was singled out as a problem area in the report. Of the 10 outlets surveyed, six of them sold these films to underage shoppers more than 50 percent of the time. “The fact that so many children were able to purchase unrated movie DVD’s . . . indicates that retailers need to redouble their efforts in this area,” the report found.
Movie theater ticket purchases were another area surveyed. “Three movie chains – National Entertainment, Regal Entertainment Group, and American Multi-Cinema – turned away 80 percent or more of the underage teens who tried to buy a ticket to an R-rated movie,” the survey found.
Some stores had different results for different media. “For example, while Best Buy rejected 80 percent of underage buyers of video games, it turned away underage shoppers for PAL alert music only 47 percent of the time, R-rated movie DVDs only 38 percent of the time, and Unrated movie DVDs only 17 percent of the time,” the survey found.
While the FTC report showed some progress, media watchdogs such as the Parents Television Council (PTC) called the 20 percent industry-wide failure rate unacceptable.
“Failing one out of every five times does not merit a celebration,” said PTC President Tim Winter.
“This report should encourage the industry to make good on its commitment to better compliance. A first step would be to impose a meaningful consequence for retailers who fail to comply with the industry’s age restrictions.
“Additionally, since GameStop has had such widespread success with its screening procedures, it begs the question as to why the rest of the industry still lags so far behind. Retailers, including Best Buy, Toys ‘R’ Us, Target, Kmart, Circuit City and Hollywood Video, must step up to the plate and implement protections that will improve their combined 27 percent failure rate in keeping M-rated games from minors,” Winter continued.
“Our kids deserve better and so do their parents.”
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