Violent Video Game Ads Banned from Public Transportation in Boston

BOSTON - After a citizens group complained about the Vice City Stories advertisements on The T, and the Boston Herald pumped the issue, the MBTA approved a ban on ads for video games which are suited for players 17-years-old and up.

The T is Boston's public transportation system of subways, buses and trains. Children, teens and adults who ride the T see the posted advertisements, which until recently included Grand Theft Auto's latest incarnation of game play murder, stealing and prostitute solicitation.

Daniel Grabauskas, Transit Chief, stated that advertisements for M-rated games were unacceptable on Boston's trains and buses, just like X-rated movie ads, the Boson Herald reported.

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood had demanded advertisements for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories be pulled off the Boston subways.

"We hope that other cities will follow suit and not allow the use of public space to promote violence to children. We also agree with the Federal Trade Commission that these games should not be marketed in media venues where children make up a significant percentage of the audience," said Josh Golin, Program Manager of CCFC: Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, a child advocacy group that pushed to have the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories advertisements removed from The T.

The marketing of violent games to children is not the only issue. The sales of these games to children is also a problem. "We fully support the efforts of states and communities across the country to ban the sales of violent video games to minors."

"We also believe that placing limits on how and where violent video games are advertised is an effective means of limiting the children's exposure to these games," Golin said.

Where do parents fit into this equation of advocacy groups and government agencies regulating advertisements and sales of violent video games to children?

"Parents are in a real bind today. Advertising for video games is so pervasive that it's extremely difficult to steer kids away from it, yet-while media violence is not the sole cause of youth violence--research clearly demonstrates that it is a factor and recent studies suggest that video games are particularly pernicious," Golin said.

Golin went on to say, "That's why we need policy changes that will limit children's exposure to these ads. Until that happens we encourage parents to do the best they can to set limits on children's access, talk with children from early on about their concerns about media violence, and work with advocacy groups to effect these changes."