'Adult' games may be captured by internet filter

James Riley
Monday, 19 October 2009 15:31

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The Rudd Government is investigating how its proposed internet filtering system might apply to the online games market, particularly in relation to complications that result from the lack of an R18+ ratings classification in Australia.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy told a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra the lack of agreement among the State governments about an R classification, and the different treatment of online and offline games, had raised complex issues.

The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy was investigating how the online games – the content of which is overseen by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) – would be affected by an internet filtering system, and whether the boxed games classification system (overseen by the Office of Film and Literature Classification) would apply.

"We are currently considering the interaction between the lack of consistent classification processes for (games) material," Senator Conroy said. "This is something we are considering in light of the filter."

The Minister did not say Government would seek to have an internet filter applied to boxed games that had not been classified because the games regime does not allow a rating beyond MA15+. However, he noted there were issues of classification and jurisdiction that needed to be addressed as part of the broader filtering policy development.

"It is a reasonable argument to say that there is the interaction between the games online and because they don’t have the same process of classification as does other material – there is a reasonable and valid issue that’s been raised that we are considering," Senator Conroy said.

"It is under policy consideration at the moment."

The Standing Committee of Attorneys General had been considering the creation of an R18+ classification for games, and were to have held a public consultation on the issue this year.

Although the issue is still nominally on the SCAG agenda, the consultation was effectively scuttled by the objections of South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson, who objected to the proposal.

Senator Conroy said an R18+ classification was worthy of consideration of the Attorney Generals. In the meantime the communications department was looking at the policy implications for ACMA and the proposed internet filtering regime.

It is understood the treatment of online games, and the complications of the classification system will be raised in the internet filtering policy discussion paper that Senator Conroy plans to release with the Enex report on ISP filtering live trials.

Greens senator Scott Ludlam said the games classification issue had been a source of frustration for many Australians and said he hoped to see clarification of Government’s thinking about online games in the communications department’s discussion paper on internet filtering.

"We will certainly be pursuing this one," Senator Ludlam told iTWire.

"I think it is important to get clarification on what exactly they are looking at and I would expect to see something in the discussion paper on this."