VenusGaming

Microsoft has just launched its Get Game Smart program. Get Game Smart is aimed at parents and families, to help them make educated decisions about the games their children play - kind of like a friendly way to bring parents a better understanding of game ratings and individual games.

  Get Game Smart has an impressive array of partners: Best Buy, Boys and Girls Club of America, the ESA, and the ESRB most notably. GGS’s partners also include a host of parent associations dedicated to making smart decisions about what children play.

GGS has an online pact that parents can complete with their children. There is also a family pledge:

As a family, we pledge to:

•  Talk about WHAT KIND OF MEDIA CONTENT (games, TV shows, Web sites) is accepted in our home. When in doubt, we will check with retailers or online (e.g., www.esrb.org) for additional information on rating systems and advice.
•  Set LIMITS around the amount of time spent in front of a screen including playing video games, watching TV or using the computer.
• Learn about and set-up PARENTAL CONTROLS on our video game consoles and computers.
• Practice ONLINE SAFETY by keeping personal information private, reporting cyberbullying, and understanding who it’s appropriate to communicate or play with online.
• Talk about our family’s media choices, and discuss the IMAGES and MESSAGES we see in video games, on the Web and TV.
• Enjoy gaming and PLAY TOGETHER.

 To kick things off, GGS is also offering several sweepstakes. The site also offers a host of tips for parents and kids.