Parents Television Council: Retailers shouldn't carry Grand Theft Auto IV

Last week I posted extended excerpts from California State Senator Leland Yee’s warning to parents about “Grand Theft Auto IV.” But he’s not the only one warning parents not to play the game before playing it. The Parents Television Council not only issued a warning, but went even further, "calling on all major retailers to reconsider any decisions to sell this game." Which of course means even adults wouldn’t be able to get their hands on it.

I thought it was worth understanding where PTC, which claims 1.2 million members and 50 chapters across the country, is coming from and what it’s telling the public about the game, so I got on the phone with the group's national grassroots director Gavin McKiernan.

Me: Have you seen the game yet? And why are you so much more concerned about this than an R-rated movie? Do you subscribe to the theory that videogames are more harmful than other media because they’re interactive?

Gavin McKiernan: We haven’t played it yet, but we know what was in the last “Grand Theft Auto” games and we don’t think they’re suddenly going to start making games that look like “Sesame Street.”

The research we’ve seen over the last decade say that violent videogames do have a greater potential to impact children negatively because of their interactive nature.

Also, people play videogames for hours upon hours. A movie is just a couple of hours.

Me: Most stores that sell videogames have a strict policy not to sell M-rated titles like “Grand Theft Auto IV” to minors. Why isn’t that enough for you?

Our concern is the lack of follow-through. The chain retail stores all claim they follow a code. That’s nice, but voluntary compliance is what it is. Every time we or others have done secret shoppers, we find 50% and up sell games to kids under the appropriate age bracket. We feel there should be some legal ramifications.

[Note: The most recent Federal Trade Commission study found that 42% of kids were able to buy an M-rated game, while 71% could buy an R-rated DVD.]

Me: So you would support laws like the one in California (overturned by a federal court last year and currently being appealed) prohibiting sales of games deemed violent to anyone under 18?

GM: Yes. The videogame industry claims its regulations should be followed. If they believe that, they should support a law to back it up.

Me: Your critics would argue that you’re treating videogames differently than other media that are protected by the First Amendment.

GM: We’re not looking to ban videogames. We’re just looking to keep adult videogames in adult hands.

Our society limits the rights of minors in all sorts of ways. No one would argue a six year-old should have unfettered access to pornography or guns. I’m not comparing videogames to guns, but adult products need to be kept away from children.

Me: But you went further than that in your statement. You don’t want stores to carry this game at all?

GM: We did ask the big chains not to carry it and if they are, we want them to treat it as an adult product. Target doesn’t carry handguns. If it wants to be consistent with its other policies, it shouldn’t sell violent games and if it does they certainly shouldn’t be accessible to kids in any way.

If adults want to purchase the game, we’re not concerned with that. But this product is available to kids and there are not enough checks. If you carry it on your shelves that means it is accessible to children.

Me: So do you think videogames have any value at all? Or do you basically think the entire medium is detrimental or at best a waste of time?

GM: There are a lot of positive videogames. There are always two sides to the coin. They can be a great instruction if you look at titles like “Flight Simulator” or “SimCity.” A lot of games teach people. But if you accept that, you also have to accept the other side. It’s hypocritical to say videogames can teach positive things but not negative things.

Me: You guys review the content in lots of movies and TV shows. Given your concerns, will somebody at PTC play “GTA IV” when it comes out?

GM: We’re not in a position to do that resource-wise. We’re stretched as thin as can be on TV shows and movies. Most likely we will rely on other guys who do more videogame reviewing.