For Release: September
13, 2000 Federal Trade Commission Testifies on Marketing Violent
Entertainment to Children
Chairman Robert Pitofsky presented Federal Trade Commission testimony today before the
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on the Commission's report
titled "Marketing Violent Entertainment To Children: A Review of Self-Regulation and
Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording & Electronic Game
Industries." The report, which was issued Monday by the FTC, was conducted in
response to a request from President Clinton on June 1, 1999, as well as similar requests
from members of Congress.
According to the testimony, although all three industries studied have self-regulatory
systems that purport to rate or label their products to help parents make choices about
their children's entertainment, the Commission found that members of all three industries
routinely target advertising and marketing for violent entertainment products directly to
children. The Commission believes that these advertising and marketing efforts undermine
each industry's parental advisories and frustrate parents' attempts to protect their
children from inappropriate material.
In response to the findings, the Commission believes that all three industries should
take additional action to enhance their self-regulatory efforts. In addition, the
Commission believes that continuous public oversight is also required and that Congress
should continue to monitor the progress of self-regulation in this area.
The Commission approved the testimony by a vote of 5-0. |