I also knew about the parental controls on all three units before release, but then we're a little different from the mainstream people.

The PS3 might have only had one flimsy sheet describing the parental controls, but I think he's giving Sony a bad mark for what he should be crediting them for. If it were a subparagraph in the manual, no one would notice as the child unpacks his christmas present and the parent dutifully attaches it to the entertainment system (or oversees, or maybe doesn't). If it were just a tweakable option once you start the system, many parents again won't notice it.

But while unpacking the box, it's less possible to miss the parental controls flyer. I had the same experience unpacking our Wii.

The flyer is Sony and Nintendo (theis was more of a mini-manual) going above and beyond what can be reasonably expected of them, to put information into parents hands at a time they are at least observers if not participants: when the thing's unboxed.

@ calvinball

Sure, the manuals do contain that information. But they're written like Cel Phone manuals. They're a little too techie for lots of parents and there's also the fact that when you're a parent, free time is very rare. Which is why Microsoft/Best Buy/and Boys & Girls Clubs teamed up on a multi-million dollar awareness campaign.

Musgrove seems to think, and I agree with him on this, that the videogame industry is under fire from polticians and if they make something like Parental Controls... why aren't they bragging about it?

Musgrave is faulting Wii and Sony for not doing the same sort of campaign. I'm arguing that parents are underserved by the gaming press, mainstream press, ECA, ESA, etc., and maybe the fault isn't with the console makers for not promoting parental safety features. Maybe the fault is with the press for not reporting on them.

You could make an argument that parents don't need help because they could RTFM all you like but I still maintain that the press has an interest in publishing news and the first generation of videogame consoles containing parental controls counts as "public good" and "public interest."

Regardless, given the politcal climate this website is built to report on, Musgrove has a point that the industry could be doing a better job looking like it's doing a better job for parents.

I will say this, I did a 4 day Media Tour the week before Christmas. I spoke to/on over 30 radio stations and all them had no ideas that videogames had Parental Controls. These are potential buyers, not people who can read the manual.

@ GamerDad

Your point about informing potential customers is a good one.

That being said I think you are confusing happyland with reality. In happyland the media really would be interested in the public good. In reality you run the story that sells. In most cases that would be the story about how games are destroying the fabric of society.

I will agree that that really shouldn't let the industry off the hook for not bragging about it.

However even these informed parents will need to read the manual to put it into use. The parents that care will make the time to do it and the ones who use it as a babysitter will not.

Also, after any and every system update on the Wii it gives you a little message about the Parental Controls. I know most people would say that people just skip past them, but I know alot of parents that don't. Heck, my own mother will read entire User Agreement when installing software sometimes.

@thefremen

I've seen little to no compelling evidence that parents don't trust or understand the ESRB ratings. None. In three years of doing PTA events, radio events, etc., I believe this is akin to when someone says the F-bomb on SNL and suddenly more people than actually watched the show phone the FCC.

There's a lot of evidence that most just don't care. Which is fine with me. I'm here for the parents who DO want more information. They do exist, but the problem is that the squeaky wheels (people who HATE videogames) get all the grease and that's where, in my opinion, Lowenstein and Vance have missed the boat. They'll never convince the extremists... but there's a lot of moderate parents who really do respond well to a moderate message.

At GamerDad we go beyond the ESRB, but we aren't seeking to replace it. We can just offer a lot of info beyond what can fit on a box.

@Anni Mae

Watch out! You do know that the parental controls on the PS2 don't affect Games, right?!! They only work with MPAA rated DVD movies. Xbox was the very first console, and the ONLY one in the last generation, to offer parental controls on games.

Also, most people don't realize that Sony and Nintendo's parental controls DON'T work on PS2 and GameCube games.

@ the article that began the thread

I've got a real problem with this article in a lot of ways. Yes, it's admirable Microsoft has taken the lead on this issue and is doing the tours needed to get the word out. But Nintendo and Sony have both sent out information packets talking about their Parental Controls. If newspapers and game websites choose to ignore that info (like they do most parental issues) that's hardly Nintendo and Sony's fault... is it?

(In a related note, I believe this is the kind of stuff the ECA should be doing. As a consumer organization. But I really do understand that it's a new organization and maybe there's plans for this in the future.)

First I must give props to Gamerdad. Second I have to note that if most parents care so little about ratings they're complaining "omg the esrb ish confuuuuuuuuuuuusing!" they will never ever go to any trouble accessing the parental controls of any system unless those controls are activated by flatulence.

This is a rather ironic article. It wonders why no one knows or cares? As a journal, it has a responsibility to spread news! In that sense, it is good that it highlights the fact that the systems have parental controls. But in an inevitable stab at sensationalism, it cites problems with GameCube filtering, PIN number inputs, and so forth.

Can't anyone just write NEWS anymore?

Self-Promotion Alert - but since nobody is helping us promote it and it is germaine to the issue....

Parental controls are important but the real problem is that newspapers like the Washington Post and even places like Slashdot and others don't help small sites trying to help.

We've had a Wii Parental Controls article on our front page for two weeks now. But unlike most feature articles at GamerDad, nobody is helping us promote it. So here I am, promoting it. Spread the word please - GamerDad is a social good, not a moneymaker for me.

Wii Parental Controls Tips at GamerDad
http://www.gamerdad.com/detail.cfm?itemID=3517

We'll be doing a similar one for SONY and MS soon.

Thanks for putting up with the self-promotion. Wish it wasn't necessary. Because, you guys are wrong in this thread. Parents DO care. They're just underserved by everybody in terms of information.

10 years?

*giggle*

My temporary fanboyism aside, I read the article when it was printed, and I wasn't even aware of the capabilities of some of the content-filtering systems. Then again, I'm not a parent, so I don't really need to be aware, as I trust my own parents not to turn something like that on without telling me. However, as has already been said, the Post could certainly be doing something about it, as opposed to sitting around and saying "Hey look, no one's publicizing this! Golly gee!".

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