Ratings Preserve Hegemonic Power

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.

Posted by jane at December 01, 2006 12:36 PM | TrackBack