Fears emerge that Brown may use Byron to "crackdown" on games

Citing a "Whitehall leak", a Scotland on Sunday report has suggested that PM Gordon Brown is readying to use the Byron report - a commissioned paper into videogames in the UK in general - to tighten up regulations in gaming and "crackdown" on violence in games.

BBFC ratings for all games are expected to be recommended by the review. After a meeting between Tanya Byron and industry leaders last week, a person present had this to say to MCV:

“It was pretty much agreed by all parties – publishing, retailers and parents and Government – that there needs to be one rating system for transparency’s sake, whether that be the BBFC or something more voluntary. But there’s a definite fear that Brown will aggressively present this to the media and public as ‘we are fighting the industry for your kids’ safety’. Nothing could be further from the truth, and Tanya Byron knows that."

The source added, “The meeting ended with a lengthy discussion, headed up by her, on how we can present this to the Government.”

Should be fun. How else did anyone think the power-crazed old warhorse was going to present it to Parliament?