Video game ratings should just be a start for parents

Blaming violence on video games over-simplifies a deeply complicated issue. If you're wondering whether the video game your child is playing is appropriate, there's a long-standing rating system in place to guide you. But that system, established in 1994 after Senate hearings into violence in video games, is "good but not perfect," says Jeff Haynes, senior editor for video games at Common Sense Media, a non-profit group that curates its own library of ratings and reviews of games, movies apps, TV shows and other content. What that means is parents need to be especially vigilant when it comes to assessing whether the games their children play are appropriate. "The biggest thing we constantly try to push is know your kids and know the content your kids are playing and get involved with what your kids are interested in," Haynes says.