What is RSAC?

The Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSAC) is an independent, non-profit organization established in the fall of 1994 by a group of six trade organizations, led by the Software Publishers Association. RSAC's goal is to create a new, objective content-labeling rating system for recreational software and other media. The system provides accurate and non-judgemental information about the specific content of recreational software programs to allow consumers to make purchasing decisions based on personal evaluations of that information.

Why Rating Systems?

The move toward recreational software rating systems was born out of government and consumer concern over the suitability of certain viewing material for children, as well as efforts to regulate such material. In 1994, Senators Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) and Herbert Kohl (D-Wis.) chaired a number of Senate hearings on the increasing levels of violence found in video and computer games. In an effort to respond to these concerns and to prevent government regulation and censorship of these products, the recreational software industry joined forces to create a unique, open and objective content labeling system. The result of this alliance was RSAC.

The debate over suitable viewing material for children has continued and expanded to include "Choice Chips" which block undesirable material from television and the Protection of Children From Computer Pornography Act of 1995. RSAC has testified before the Senate during the Computer Pornography debate and its system has been commended on the Senate floor as a solution to TV ratings.

A Unique System

Unlike a broad age-based ratings system, such as that used by the Motion Picture Association of America, which makes judgments about who should and should not be exposed to certain material, RSAC has a non-judgmental system. Using a voluntary, self-disclosure questionnaire, the RSAC system is made up of three categories of ratings: 1) Violence, 2) Nudity / Sex and 3) Language. There are four levels (0 - 4) within each of those categories; 0 representing the least objectionable content found in the product and 4 representing the greatest. If a title has no objectionable content, as defined by very specific terms and descriptors set out in the methodology, it receives an "All" rating - suitable for all audiences. These ratings are then placed on the front of the software package. Comparable to the new food labeling requirements, the RSAC rating system simply reports on the contents of the software program, without making recommendations about who should be viewing it. This allows parents, educators and other consumers to reach their own conclusions about what is appropriate for them and their children.

Rated Titles

To date, RSAC has rated over 350 titles with 94 companies and anticipates rating over 500 titles per year. Among the titles RSAC has rated are "Myst" by Broderbund, "Doom II" by id Software, and "Dark Forces" by LucasArts. Click here for a complete list.

An Indepenent System

The Board of Directors of RSAC is made up largely of specialists from outside the computer software industry, including academics, psychologists, media researchers, publishing experts, pediatricians and educators. Consequently, board members are free to administer a rating system and make policy without industry influence or conflict of interest resulting from company loyalty.

Retailers

Software rating systems have been prompted not only by Congressional and parental concern about appropriateness of media content, but also by this same concern among retailers. Wal Mart, the country's leading retailer, announced that after April 1, 1995 it would no longer accept unrated software titles. And it is clear that others are moving in the same direction. Nine major retail chains, including Kmart, Sears, Toys'R'Us and Blockbuster Video have recently pledged to buy only rated video games, and both Target and Sears have urged software publishers to use a rating system.

RSAC and the Future

The logical and comprehensive nature of the RSAC system renders it easily adaptable for applications other than software. Interest in a comparable system has, for example, been shown by both cable television companies and independent film makers. In fact, with increasing Congressional and public concern about control over what should and should not be seen by children, it is possible that a comprehensive rating system based on the RSAC model could be adopted to cover software, the Internet, network and cable television.