Great, thought-provoking post by Danah Boyd on the movie, This Film is Not Yet Rated, a documentary about the MPAA and the values that go into rating films.
While most people i've talked to are fascinated with the legal (copyright, first amendment, etc.) issues involved, what i really enjoyed was the portrayal of how we leverage protectionist rhetoric and "child safety" to uphold hegemonic moral values that will aid industry. This isn't actually about the children; it's about maintenance of power.
I'm certain that much of the same criticisms can be applied to games and the ESRB - but I hope the ESRB can learn from the mistakes of the MPAA and evolve into a healthier organization. I often feel the game industry is dancing between the need to create massive explosions and massive sales, and the need to respond to societal neuroses.
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