After the Bundestag, on Friday, the Federal Council approved the controversial amendment of the Youth Protection Act. The reform brings extensive changes in the examination of computer and video games with themselves, which, according to the outstanding entertainment of the standards plant in the Federal Law Share of Planmabig on 1. May enter into force. In principle, films or games should thus make the same age rating regardless of whether they are streamed online or sold in the store at the charging counter.
Facilities of voluntary self-regulation such as the entertainment software Self-control (USK) or certified youth protection officers must now also take into account additional functions of a game when awarding anzeitan signs, no longer only the content. In particular, contact possibilities that lead to cyberbobbing, fleeting and abuse, should play in computer games for a release only for a higher age group. This also applies to cost traps, for example, by in-game buying and Lootboxes as well "Gluckspiel simulating elements".
"Descriptors" for "Interaction risks"
The Bundestag had expanded the draft of the Federal Government and that invented additional information in the form of "Descriptors" intended. "Interaction risks" should only be found in a rating if you "In the long-term part of the medium are". The aged signs determined by the USK will then be awarded by state authorities via administrative act. In addition, in the context of the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC), 9 million age appraisals are already published with descriptors, which are now enshrined in the classic test procedure by law.
"In individual cases, there may also be a higher age ranking if an additional notice is not sufficient due to a significantly increased risk", underlines the USK. During the extension you also have to incorporate the prospective declarations of the provider. Overall, the USK is so well prepared for the new rules that "The functioning system of youth media protection" Extended and the IARC system practiced for almost ten years in this country, legally recognized. As your task, the USK now sees to implement the reform in practice and the impact for the area of aging signage in exchange with the resistances.
Reasonable precautionary decreases
Commercial service providers must be carried out according to the amendment "Reasonable and effective structural precautionary decreases" Wear concern for youth media protection. Especially operators of social networks such as Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter or YouTube are required "Reporting and remedies with a user authorization suitable for children and adolescents" as well as a "Classification system for user-generated audiovisual content" to provide. Excluded are private blogs, non-profit offers and startups. One "Relevance threshold" should be introduced.
In order to effectively enforce the requirements, the existing Federal Program for Youth Hazardous Media is further developed into the Federal Center for Children’s and Youth Media Protection. It is intended to clarify against foreign providers and ensure that the platforms and Messenger services covered by the law comply with their pension obligations. Verbands like Bitkom and Game had multiply in the legislative procedure that well-functioning instruments were peaked. The Federal Ministry of Family, on the other hand, refers to the fact that about doctor, child protection, family and youth associations behind the amendment.