06 Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body The Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle, USK) has been committed to the protection of minors in the game sector for 30 years. As the games industry’s organisation for voluntary self-monitoring, the USK is the responsible authority for the assessment of video games in Germany. The familiar USK age ratings – 0, 6, 12, 16 and 18 years and above – indicate at a glance the age from which a game is safe from a youth protection standpoint, and thus provide an important guide for parents and educators. The USK is a non-profit organisation. game – The German Games Industry Association is its sole stakeholder. Since 1994, the USK has conducted more than 51,000 evaluations of video games. Since it was established in 1994, the USK has conducted more than 51,000 evaluations of computer and video games. In 2023 alone, 1,876 games were assessed. The USK also assigns age ratings in the framework of the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) for apps and games that can be purchased online. In addition, over 50 games companies have joined USK.online. As an institution of voluntary self-regulation recognised under the German Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors (JMStV), USK.online supports member companies in the practical implementation of legal provisions in the context of their online offerings. USK.online also conducts approval processes regarding technical measures for the protection of minors in the media environment. With its comprehensive knowledge in the field of games, the USK works on behalf of projects for the promotion of media literacy and the safe use of games. To mark International Safer Internet Day 2023, for example, the USK again brought parents and guardians together for a digital parents’ evening, which was attended by over 30 participants. The USK has also become a partner of the Elternguide.online initiative, which supports parents in educating their children about media, including games. As the official youth protection partner of gamescom, the USK again assumed an advisory role regarding the age-appropriate and family-friendly implementation of the event, at which it was present with its own stand. Further information is available on www.usk.de Interview New test criteria for the age rating of games Since 1 January 2023, the USK has been applying new test rules for the age rating of games in accordance with the amended German Protection of Young Persons Act of 2021. Elisabeth Secker, Managing Director of the USK, explains in an interview how the adjusted criteria are setting the standard for greater protection of minors in games. What changes has the USK made following the amendment of the Protection of Young Persons Act in order to increase the protection of minors in games? The USK has worked together with the supreme state youth authorities – that is, the state-level ministries responsible for the protection of minors – to develop new test criteria that for the first time take into account so-called usage risks in games. These include, for example, purchase functions like in-game purchases, loot box mechanics, gambling-like mechanisms, mechanisms that encourage excessive media use or chat functions. Additional notices – so-called descriptors – have also been introduced to provide information on the basic reasons for the respective age rating and on possible risks of use. These descriptors are printed on the game packaging and also displayed in online stores. Have many games been given a new age rating due to the new test criteria? The USK’s adjusted testing rules are having a clear effect. In 2023, around 30 per cent of the games tested with online functions were given a higher age rating because of risks of use. For the other 70 per cent, the additional descriptors about the risks or the protective measures built into the games proved to be sufficient – for example, the option of reporting or restricting inappropriate communication, limiting playing time, deactivating purchase options or setting spending limits. How does the USK work with developers, publishers and other games companies on this subject? In the course of these changes, we’ve worked intensively to prepare game providers for the new review criteria. Overall, we’ve seen that companies in the games industry recognise active youth media protection to be an important contribution to society. In addition to awarding age ratings, the USK has been working since 2011 to ensure that youth protection measures are integrated into the development process of games from the outset. This includes advising on and further developing technical youth protection programmes as well as carrying out recognition procedures in the field of technical youth media protection. Almost all the major game and console manufacturers are now members of USK.online and are working together with us on modern and sustainable means of protecting minors in games. The German standard for the protection of minors is one of the highest in inter-national comparison. For example, the age rating for digital games in Germany is enshrined in law, unlike in other countries. How does the protection of minors in games in Germany compare internationally? The German standard for the protection of young people is one of the highest internationally. Age ratings for video games, for example, are enshrined in law here, unlike in other countries. Representatives of the state are also involved in the process, which is why the German system is considered particularly binding. In the age rating process, we draw on the expertise of around 50 independent youth protection experts from the fields of child and youth services and media education. This puts us in a good position to identify new potential risks in games and incorporate this knowledge into youth protection practice. Elisabeth Secker Elisabeth Secker has been Mana-ging Director of the USK since Ja-nuary 2018. As part of her role, she is a member of the Board of the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC). Previously, she was deputy head of the youth media protec-tion division at die medienan-stalten. Elisabeth is also an active member of the advisory board of the Digital Games Culture Foun-dation and the Safer Advisory Board of an international games platform.
