Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media
Type Nonprofit organization
Genre Advocacy group
Founded 2003 (2003)[1]
Founder(s) James P. Steyer, CEO
Headquarters San Francisco, California, United States
Employees 11–50[1]
Website commonsensemedia.org

Common Sense Media (or simply named Common Sense), commonly known as CSM, is a San Francisco-based non-profit organization[2][3] which serves as a guide for parents that has reviews for most media types, including books, movies, video games, music, and websites, and rates them in terms of violence, sex, and profanity. The website also reviews media based on their level of quality.[4] Their main focus has been on protecting children from the dangers of being on the Internet.[5]

Contents

Reviews

Common Sense Media reviews video games, movies, television shows, music, software apps and books. Media are rated according to a "decider slider", which gives guidance regarding the subject's age suitability, and a "content grid" which rates particular aspects of the review subject, such as violent or sexual content. Reviews also have an overall five-star quality rating.[6]

Education

In 2009, CSM partnered with Harvard University and the organization Global Kids to organize the first ever three-way communication with parents, teenagers, and educators about issues faced in the online world.[7]

It has also partnered with Verizon Communications to create a curriculum based on improving digital literacy. According to CSM, they plan to offer a series of 13 lessons and videos designed for middle school students that would teach them about subjects such as protecting one's online privacy and cyber-bullying.[8] They have also teamed with MTV's "A Thin Line" campaign and the Family Violence Prevention Fund to conduct a series of town hall meetings for teenagers and parents to discuss online issues that they face; one was already held in Omaha, Nebraska on December 6, 2010.[9]

The organization has utilized their own rating system for films and video games (such as "7+", 16+", etc.) which differs from the rating systems currently used by the Motion Picture Association of America and the Entertainment Software Rating Board.[10] This system is currently featured on websites from Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, Yahoo!, Netflix, and AOL. It has received positive support from parents, and it has received support from President Barack Obama, who stated that its rating system favored "sanity, not censorship".[7]

Advocacy

On November 1, 2007, Common Sense Media protested to the Federal Trade Commission about the ESRB's rating downgrade of a revised version of Manhunt 2 from "Adults Only" to "Mature". It protested on the basis that the revised version of the game, which was censored to prevent the game from remaining banned in both countries, was still banned in the UK via the ratings given by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). They also noted that players could still play a "leaked uncensored version" of Manhunt 2 on modded PlayStation 3, as Take-Two Interactive mentioned. The organization sought the FTC to launch a Federal investigation on the rating process of the ESRB, claiming the wide availability of the leaked version and the damage to children that the censored version still had.[11] The Los Angeles Times called Common Sense Media "one of the most zealous voices when it comes to encouraging state legislation limiting the sale of ultra-violent games to minors"; the quoted piece also criticized its tax status with regards to whether or not the organization was an advocacy group or a lobbying firm. The article cited a 2005 press release that praised former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich for signing a similar "video game ban law" in Illinois, and it called into question whether or not CSM was lobbying in favor of the Child Safe Viewing Act.[3]

The organization has submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court regarding the case Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Association.[12] They published a survey, conducted by Zogby International, which asked 2100 parents whether or not they supported the "video game ban bill" – CA Law AB 1793, which is being contested under Schwarzenegger v. EMA; results showed that 72% of the respondents expressed support for the bill, and another 75% held negative views of the video game industry in general.[13] This has drawn criticism from video gaming media; Ars Technica described the survey as "shock tactics".[14]

CSM has also supported the U.S. Department of Commerce's creation of an "online privacy policy", which would include a "Privacy Bill of Rights" and would make clear as to what types of personal information companies are allowed to keep on clients.[15] It has also supported an expansion to the scope of Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) that would cover all children under 18 – with options for 16 and 17-year-old children to "opt-in" or "opt-out" from the allowance of companies to collect private information – as documented by the CSM in a report to the Federal Trade Commission as part of a review of the law.[16]

In 2009, the organization has criticized the National Football League for showing too many commercials during games which were deemed inappropriate for a family audience, including commercials for erectile dysfunction drugs and previews of shows which depicted overly violent or sexual overtones.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b "Common Sense Media – Company Profile". LinkedIn. http://www.linkedin.com/companies/common-sense-media. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  2. ^ Carroll, Archie (November 28, 2010). "Protecting children from violence should come before profits". Athens Banner-Herald. http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/112810/bus_742330680.shtml. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  3. ^ a b Pham, Alex (September 10, 2010). "Common Sense Media: Advocate or lobbyist?". Los Angeles Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/09/common-sense-media-advocate-or-lobbyist-in-game-violence-law.html. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  4. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)". Common Sense Media. http://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/faq. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  5. ^ Emspak, Jesse (December 17, 2010). "Commerce Dept. Proposes "Privacy Bill Of Rights"". International Business Times. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/93314/20101217/commerce-dept-proposes-privacy-bill-of-rights.htm. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  6. ^ "About Ratings". Common Sense Media. http://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/about-our-ratings. Retrieved 20 April 2011. 
  7. ^ a b Rosen, Judith (February 13, 2010). "Common Sense Raises Issues at B&N". Publishers Weekly. http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/42190-common-sense-raises-issues-at-b-amp-n.html. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  8. ^ Quillen, Ian (December 13, 2010). "Common Sense Partnership with Verizon Unveiled". Education Week. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2010/12/common_sense_partnership_with.html. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  9. ^ Loza, Josefina (December 6, 2010). "MTV event focuses on teens and online issues". Omaha World-Herald. http://www.omaha.com/article/20101206/LIVING/712069973. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  10. ^ Hall, Peter (March 22, 2010). "Are the Common Sense Media Ratings a Better MPAA Alternative?". Moviefone. http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/03/22/are-the-common-sense-media-ratings-a-better-mpaa-alternative/. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  11. ^ Steyer, James P. (November 1, 2007). Letter from Common Sense Media to Donald S. Clerk, Secretary, Federal Trade Commission (Report). Common Sense Media. http://www.ftc.gov/os/071101csmedia.pdf. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  12. ^ Schwarzenegger, Arnold (July 19, 2010). "Brief of amicus curiae – Common Sense Media in Support Of Petitioners". http://www.mediacoalition.org/mediaimages/Schwarzenegger_Common%20Sense%20Media%20Amicus_07.19.10.pdf. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  13. ^ McElroy, Griffin (September 13, 2010). "Common Sense Media: 72 percent of parents support proposed Calif. violent game law". Joystiq. http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/13/common-sense-media-72-percent-of-parents-support-proposed-calif/. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  14. ^ Kuchera, Ben (September 14, 2010). "72% of adults support gaming laws? Well, kinda...". Ars Technica. http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/09/72-of-adults-support-gaming-laws-well-kinda.ars. 
  15. ^ Albanesius, Chloe (December 16, 2010). "Commerce Dept. Unveils Online Privacy Plan". PC Magazine. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2374433,00.asp. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  16. ^ (PDF) Common Sense Comments on Children's Online Privacy Protection (Report). Common Sense Media. 2010. http://cdn1.www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/Common_Sense_Comments_on_Children_and_Privacy_Protection.pdf. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 
  17. ^ Lazare, Lewis (January 29, 2009). "Report slams ads that air during NFL telecasts". Chicago Sun-Times. http://blogs.suntimes.com/media/common_sense_media/. Retrieved December 25, 2010. 

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