Sir, I would like to offer an argument from the point of view of a games-playing teenager who has, the chances are, played far more than Tanya Byron (“Computer games to get health warnings”, March 27). Many games players can testify that these games have very little effect on those of a sane mindset — I first experienced violent video games at a young age, yet read The Times on a daily basis.

The content of many 18-rated video games comes nowhere near to matching the violence shown in some films rated 15, yet the “experts” and certain tabloids have a field day whenever a new game emerges. Is this fair? Of course, Grand Theft Auto IV promotes an anti-Establishment attitude to its gameplay, but this does not mean the developers condone this kind of attitude in the real world.

The nanny state that Britain has become has meant that more of life’s simple pleasures are becoming taboo. Children will only become more interested in the “forbidden fruit” that video games will become.

Jonathan Brady (aged 17)
Glasgow

Sir, A system of health warnings to alert parents already exists. The Pan-European Game Information ratings system was created in 2003, and is applied to all newly produced games. It contains a number of easily understandable pictures on the back cover of the box, showing whether the game contains references to bad language, discrimination, drugs, fear/horror, gambling, sex or violence. Every game also has an age rating clearly displayed.

People need to be made aware of these ratings and, more importantly, take the responsibility to act in response to the information they are provided.

Sam Smallwood
Droitwich Spa, Worcs

Sir, Some parents and carers lack the skills or confidence to monitor the child’s online use, and many children are themselves sophisticated in terms of using passwords to prevent monitoring of computer use by adults. The fact that less than 2 per cent of titles carry an 18 certificate means that some adults will be unaware of their unsuitability for children.

There is consistent evidence that children who watch sadistic or sexually explicit videos can become desensitised and are more likely to present aggressive or violent behaviour. It is reasonable to suggest that the current increase in self-harm, childhood depression and street crime could be linked to access to inappropriate computer games and videos. Dr Byron’s call for a single statutory classification system is very timely: however, until there are legal consequences for those who produce and market obscene and sadistic videos, some children will remain vulnerable and at risk to harm.

Norma Hornby
Warrington, Cheshire

Sir, An acquaintance who worked in a high street computer games shop once remarked to me that the busiest time was when the schools closed and children came into the shop with parents. Regularly when a child tried to buy a video game for which they were too young, they were refused sale by the shop, whereupon they handed the game to their parents who bought it for them. My acquaintance said that they were powerless to do anything.

It may be that the Government needs to look at increasing the powers of the retailer as well as tightening censorship on games.

The Rev S. O. Taylor
Brighton

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