• May 19, 2009

When Congress called on the Federal Communication Commission to examine rating and blocking issues, it specifically admonished the agency not to include in its report parental control technologies that "affect the packaging or pricing of content," according to the Association of National Advertisers.

The ANA, the 4A's and the AAF filed reply comments to The Child Safe Viewing Act, Examination of Parental Control Technologies for Video and Audio Programming on Tuesday stating that in the current economy, the last thing the FCC should consider is a speculative regulatory regime that would seek to target and eliminate advertising.

"(T)he growth and diversity of market-based options should lead the Commission to conclude that the V-chip is unsuited to be revamped to become a universal solution to blocking all types of content that individuals may prefer to avoid. Instead, the diverse technologies and strategies are a positive development that permits parents to choose the approach that best meets their needs."

The FCC can best assist consumers by promoting media education and by focusing on specific ways to inform parents of strategies they might employ in making family media choices, the groups wrote. "Such an approach would best serve parents' needs while avoiding the bureaucratic burdens and constitutional confrontation that would come with more regulatory approaches to this issue."--Tanya Irwin