Byron Review 

On 6 September 2007, the Prime Minister asked to conduct an independent review looking at the risks to children from exposure to potentially harmful or inappropriate material on the internet and in video games. This review was about the needs of children and about their right to take the risks that are a part of their development by enabling them to play video games and surf the net in a safe and informed way.

Consequences of Byron Review

Many systems in place to inform parents and help them to restrict children’s access to inappropriate games

Current ratings systems (such as PEGI) are sometimes misunderstood by parents as difficulty ratings.

The classification system reformed so that the BBFC plays a bigger role in classifying games correctly

There are also steps that need to be taken in the UK and on a global platform to make the waters of new technology easier to navigate safely. This is about providing children and their parents with the proper tools, clear standards and signposts and somewhere to go when things go wrong.

Alongside new technology a new culture of responsibility is needed, where all in society focus not on defending entrenched positions, but on working together to help children keep themselves safe, to help parents to keep their children safe and to help each other support children and parents in this task.

Jamie Bulger case

Jon Venables and Robert Thompson kidnapped and murdered 2 year old Jamie Bulger on the 12th February 1993.

Many different theories have been put into place as to why the two boys did what they did, and what influenced them to become so evil. Both boys’ parents were separated; the boys would skip school, shoplift and even be violent to other children in their class. Some witnesses have said the boys would even tie rabbits to train tracks and shoot the heads off pigeons with air pistols.

One of the main ideas as to why the killing of Jamie Bulger took place is said to be due to the two boys previously watching a film that was rated an 18. This film was ‘Child’s play’ a 1988 franchise to the popular horror film ‘chucky’ and it was said that the boys watched this and copied the tortures and murders that are in the film on young Jamie Bulgar. As the film was classed as an 18 the two boys should not have been allowed to watch it but because of the lack of good parenting the boys were free to do what they want.

This case and many others like this show how if Children watch or play violent video games from a young age they can be brainwashed or even in this case copy the actions/words/violence that they see.