Despite the government's anti-porn crackdown, China is not ready to impose a ratings system that would warn parents if online games contain scenes of sex and violence, the Ministry of Culture announced on January 28, 2010.
The ministry's official publication, China Culture Daily, responded to previous media reports that an age-appropriate ratings system would soon be implemented, indicating whether the games were appropriate for children and young teenagers.
The Global Times reported earlier that online game operators in Beijing were prepared to include their own parental warnings on games by the end of the month.
The Beijing game operators said they were imposing self-censorship ahead of a govern-ment-imposed ratings system recommended by two academic research centers.
On January 28, the ministry made the surprise announcement that a ratings system "is not suitable for the actual conditions in China and such a plan is not included in the ministry's online game management and supervision schedule."
Researchers previously suggested that online games be rated on their suitability for players above age 12 and those above age 18, together with parental warnings if the games contain scenes of virtual sex and violence.
The ministry explained that the ratings system widely used in other countries has proved inadequate to cure teenage "game addiction" in China, and shield young players from lewd, violent or pornographic content.
The ministry said it would not simply copy and adopt the overseas ratings system, but will explore more effective ways to tackle the problem in China.
The feasibility of the ratings system has been questioned from the very beginning.
Xiang Yong, vice-dean of the Institute for Cultural Industries at Peking University, headed a research team that recommended a standard ratings system. But he said it would rely on users registering their real names on the Internet, an idea far from realization at the moment.
According to Xiang, without a real name system to identify players, underage youngsters can steal their parents' ID cards and provide false information.
Zhao Xufeng, an online game analyst with iResearch in Shanghai, told the Global Times Thursday that a ratings system involves too many vested interests to put forward such a system in such a short period of time.
"A regulation must come with a set of supplementary rules on enforcement and how to punish violators. Unfortunately this hasn't been discussed."
The rapid expansion of the 26 billion yuan ($3.8 billion) online gaming industry prompted the government to step up supervision and management.
The central government appointed the Ministry of Culture as the general regulator and watchdog of online gaming in 2009. The ministry was formulating an online gaming regulation to be issued in 2010.
Source: Global Times
Editor: Xu Xinlei
