Govt. Intervention Said Not Needed to Safeguard Content
The V-chip equips parents with reasonable safeguards and lets content providers maximize programming potential without govt. intervention, Tim Collings, the V-chip’s inventor, said in comments to the FCC. Collings’ comments centered on use of V-chip technology in connection with a Commission request for tools to help parents deal with interactive children’s programming.
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Congress required the FCC to study the V-chip, seen by some senators as inadequate blocking technology, and identify better tools for blocking (CD March 18 p13). The CEA also asked the Commission to amend a new rule on the V-chip’s functioning in digital TV receivers, but Collings didn’t address that issue.
Collings and Tri-Vision, which administers V-chip patents, said the V-chip also can be used to find beneficial programming, such as educational/informational (E/I) programs. They said the FCC has concluded DTV technical standards “should not foreclose the option of using V-Chip technology to support multiple rating systems.” Each rating region table (RRT) is limited to 1024 bytes and provides the ability to accommodate several ratings. An E/I rating system easily could be established by constructing an RRT to describe one or more E/I ratings, Collings said. The V-chip could see use to describe additional interactive program elements. “Since the Commission had the foresight to require V-chip flexibility, E/I ratings and interactive ratings can augment the present rating system,” Collings said. Parents can choose an appropriate level of interactivity, or deactivate the V-chip.
Collings suggested a 4-level system of interactive levels: (1) Containing no interactive elements. (2) Containing non-commercial interactive material. (3) With commercial elements, but not seeking personal information. (4) Containing commercial elements and seeking personal data. “This sample interactive rating system definition should fit within the 1024-byte limitation of the RRT bit syntax structure,” Collings said. While the FCC “correctly” noted that interactivity has the potential for abuse, he said, the V-chip gives parents the chance to enforce what they think is acceptable for their children.