Self-regulation: Federal states officially recognize age classification via IARC

An important step for the protection of children and young people with online games and apps: The youth ministries of the federal states have now legally recognized the age ratings of the IARC system (International Age Rating Coalition) after years of examination. This was announced by the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle, USK) on Friday.

The USK tests digital games and awards over one million age ratings according to the IARC system every year because of the Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media (JMStV). These labels are used in app stores and online stores and differ from the labels that are printed on game packaging in brick-and-mortar stores. The highest state youth authorities are now on board. At the end of a classification procedure carried out by the USK, they ultimately issue the corresponding age ratings by administrative act in accordance with the German Youth Protection Act.

The IARC recognition "underlines the importance of the USK labels in the online sector too", says the self-regulatory body. These ensure "strong child and youth protection and offer parents reliable guidance". The automated system ultimately "also convinced the youth protection authorities in Germany". The constantly growing number of digital games online can often be a challenge for parents and guardians in everyday family life. IARC provides clarity here on online gaming platforms.

Legal consequences for gaming platforms

The official approval of the federal states also has legal implications for game providers. Games that are sold to minors or shown in public in Germany must have an age rating from the USK in accordance with legal requirements. With the reform of the Youth Protection Act in 2021, the Bundestag extended this obligation to online gaming platforms. As a result of this recognition, operators who use the IARC system can now fulfill their labelling obligation in a legally secure manner in accordance with the German Youth Protection Act. These include Google Play Store, Nintendo eShop, Microsoft Store for Windows and Xbox, PlayStation Store, Epic Games Store, Fortnite, Meta Quest Store, Pico Store and Amazon Luna.

Since the latest major amendment to the German Youth Protection Act, voluntary self-regulatory bodies and certified youth protection officers must also consider additional functions of a game, not just the content. In particular, contact options that can lead to cyberbullying, chat-up lines and abuse should only lead to computer games being approved for a higher age group. This also applies to cost traps such as in-game purchases and loot boxes as well as "gambling-simulating elements". The Bundestag attempted to clarify this by referring to additional information ("descriptors").

"Modern, internationally compatible solution"

"The protection of minors online is becoming increasingly important", emphasizes North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister for Children and Youth, Josefine Paul (Greens). Under the leadership of North Rhine-Westphalia, the supreme state youth authorities have been responsible for the legal age rating of digital games for many years and are directly involved in the USK test procedure. With the recognition of IARC, the federal states have enabled "a modern, internationally compatible solution". USK Managing Director Elisabeth Secker emphasized that the testing institution ensures "that the high German youth protection standards are also consistently implemented within this system".

IARC is an association of various organizations for the worldwide age rating of online games and apps, which the USK co-founded over eleven years ago. Relevant age ratings are assigned in accordance with the specifications of the respective national self-regulatory bodies. The ratings are thus generated directly for each affiliated region or country.

(vbr)