Interviews// Dr Tanya Byron - The Exit Interview

SPOnG: How have you found ELSPA's response? It's expressed concern that online games and content may not be covered well enough by the report...

Tanya Byron: One of the things that struck me when I did my initial call for evidence, and people submitted their evidence and their beliefs and so on, is that within the industry very few people covered the online space at all.

I was getting an awful lot of stuff about the industry itself, which of course is very useful, but I wasn't getting very much back (about) the online space.

I think that's because this is such a new space and there's so much that needs to be done. We've got PEGI Online and we've got BBFC Online, and I think both of those things are good - I've recommended that they need to work together.

Practice needs to be standardised so that consumers have a clear understanding of the online space – of what's going on at different levels of gaming in terms of expectations of moderation and so on.

But, also, I've recommended that there should be a UK council for Internet safety which is set up and reporting to the Prime Minister, and he has agreed to that.

This council will look at all sorts of issues to do with the online space. I believe that the video games industry - and ELSPA obviously - would also sit on that council, because there needs to be a much more collaborative dialogue between the online industries and the video games industry, as well as within your industry talking about the online issues.


SPOnG: What do you think of the decision to also have a Parliamentary subcommittee investigating violence in video games?

Tanya Byron: From what I understand, often when reviews happen, these select committees also spring up. I'm an independent reviewer, so I didn't work for government. I was hired, if you like, to do an independent review. My understanding is that select committees will often exist as well to check it from a Parliamentary point of view.

Their remit is broader, so they're not just looking at children, they're looking at harmful and inappropriate content across all ages.

I actually went before the select committee on Tuesday, and they cross-questioned me about my report. (Laughs). It was like the viva (oral exam) for my PHD – which was just after the birth of my daughter two weeks previously, so my brain felt like mush. But Tuesday was actually even more challenging than that. And, it was fine, and actually they were very complimentary and very supportive of the review, but they pushed me on some things and it was a good discussion. I think it will be interesting to see where they come out.

I mean, certainly, again at the select committee I talked about the polarisation of debate; that the blame culture needs to stop; that I find the video game industry to be a responsible industry who have been incredibly helpful to me during this review; that they are very clear that adult games are for adults, not for children; that they are clear that there should be ratings that help people understand that; that there should be an information campaign that helps the public understand that; and that the more we go around in circles making allegations that, actually, the research doesn't prove conclusively, the less we're actually thinking strategically about how we can manage these issues. And I think they heard me say that, so I feel very positive from that point of view.