The definitive news source for sexual content in games. Published by the IGDA's Sex SIG.

November 09, 2005

Carriers Adopt Content Rating for Cellphones

Carriers Adopt Content Rating for Cellphones

By MATT RICHTEL

Major cellular phone carriers adopted a content rating

system, a move that could pave the way for them to begin

selling sex-oriented content on mobile devices.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/09/technology/09wireless.html?th&emc=th

(Article Included In Post)

From the NY Times:

Carriers Adopt Content Rating for Cellphones

By MATT RICHTEL

Published: November 9, 2005

The nation's major cellular phone carriers said yesterday that they had adopted a content rating system for video, music, pictures and games that they sell to cellphone users - a development that could pave the way for them to begin selling pornography and sex-oriented content on mobile devices.

The carriers said the ratings, meant to mimic content classifications for movies and video games, are voluntary.

Initially, the carriers would classify content in two categories: general interest and restricted content deemed appropriate only for people over the age of 18.

The carriers said they had agreed not to begin making restricted content available until they had developed filters and other technological tools that would enable parents to prevent children from getting access to inappropriate material.

The carriers, including Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless, the largest and second-largest mobile companies, said they were developing filtering technology and that it should be available soon.

"This gives people the tools to decide what's appropriate and what's not appropriate for them," Mark Siegel, a spokesman for Cingular, said of the content ratings. But industry analysts said the creation of a rating system showed that the carriers were moving toward selling sex-oriented content. That could add to the growing revenue carriers are getting from selling music, short videos, images and access to news and information.

The content guidelines and any filters that carriers may provide would not affect content that mobile phone users download directly from the Internet. The guidelines apply only to content that subscribers purchase on menus provided by the carriers.

The Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, an industry trade group that published the guidelines, said in a statement that the content classifications would use criteria based on the existing movie, television, music and games rating systems.

Jeffrey Nelson, a spokesman for Verizon Wireless, said it was possible the industry would eventually come up with more than two classifications for content. "Once the ratings are in place, the market will dictate whether gradations are in order," he said.

Posted by SheriP at 10:20 AM | Discuss this post on our forums

August 08, 2005

Cell Phones

Cell phones appear to be an emerging market for sexual content.

Adult Links.

Two games that I recently found: V-Girl (virtual girlfriend) and found this one a few days ago Street Tycoon.

Posted by BrendaBrathwaite at 10:37 PM | Discuss this post on our forums