Kids Protection Group Guides Parents

In light of the recent discovery that a new version of the "Grand Theft Auto" video game contains sexually explicit imagery, it might interest parents to know there is a new coalition that informs them about media and their rating systems. Video game players can see the naughty additions to "Grand Theft Auto" by downloading a patch--created by a third party programmer--that disables the "censor flags."

A new coalition comprised of U.S. Senate leaders, media content producers, toy companies and others has formed to help parents make decisions about what their kids are seeing, hearing and playing. A new Web site encourages parents to "pause" to consider what the media is; "parent," by engaging their kids in conversations about the media and "play," by enjoying the media with their kids. The Web site includes links to and explanations of the various TV, game and music rating systems as well as other technologies available, like the V-chip that they can use to create a more kid-friendly environment.