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Updated for SID 2020:
PEGI - Pan European Game Information

URL: http://www.pegi.info

About our SID activities

PEGI will be supporting Safer Internet Day through social media activity.
 

What we are doing to support the SID 2020 theme of "Together for a better internet"...

 
IARC
Since 2013, PEGI has been involved in a global initiative called IARC (International Age Rating Coalition) where the rating boards from different regions in the world have joined forces to provide a solution for the globalised market of digital games. It simplifies the process to obtain age ratings by providing publishers with a single set of questions about their product's content and interactive elements.
 
Thanks to IARC, global online storefronts now automatically display the relevant age ratings according to the region the user is connected from. The system is used by Firefox Marketplace and Google Play, bringing PEGI ratings to the largest collection of apps on the market. In January 2016, Microsoft Windows Store and the Nintendo E-shop also decided to implement it for all digital games and apps on their platforms.
 
Besides informing about usual age and content ratings, IARC also indicates to consumers if the app they download contains:
  • Users interaction
  • Data sharing
  • Location sharing
  • Digital purchases
  • Need of permanent internet connection
For further information, see www.globalratings.com.
 
New content descriptor: In-game purchases
PEGI implemented a new descriptor on 30 August 2018 to inform parents prior to purchase about the possibility of spending money within a video game. "In-game purchases" is already one of the descriptors used by PEGI for digital-only games (using the IARC process), but consumers will now also see this icon appear on the packaging of games that can be bought in retail stores.
 
PEGI App
The new PEGI App allows you to search easily for video games age ratings and read up on parental controls for your devices at home or on the move.
 
With this app you will be able to:
  • Search through the PEGI database for up-to-date video game and app rating classifications.
  • Filter results by age rating, genre and platform to find suitable games for your children.
  • Read through detailed instructions on how to set up parental controls on a range of devices.
  • Information about family gaming with Ask About Games.
  • Read detailed descriptions on what content can be found at each age rating and what the content descriptors mean.
Awareness campaigns
For more than a decade, PEGI has been a partner of several nationwide campaigns across many EU territories. Endorsed by both national governments and the industry, those actively promote a safe and responsible gameplay to parents, now able to quickly retrieve all the information they need on how to best engage with their children in their digital activities. 
 
Parents will, among many other possibilities, find explanation notes on PEGI labels, learn how to set up parental control tools, or even understand how their children's online interactions can be monitored. Every campaigns' website is translated in the official language of its country to ensure maximum comprehension by their users.
 
Useful tips and guidance can be found on the campaigns' websites:

About us

PEGI (Pan European Game Information) is the European age-rating system for video games. 
 
PEGI helps European parents make informed decisions when buying video games. Launched in 2003, PEGI replaced a number of national age rating systems and is now used throughout most of Europe, in 38 countries. The system is supported by the major console manufacturers as well as by publishers and developers of games that are active in Europe. PEGI was developed by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE).
 
The PEGI labels appear on the front and back of a game's packaging, providing a reliable indication of the suitability of the content. The age rating does not take into account the difficulty level or skills required to play a game. There are also eight content descriptors that work in conjunction with the age labels: violence in a PEGI 7 game (e.g. cartoon-style violence) is different from violence in a PEGI 18 game (strong, graphic content). 
 
PEGI content descriptors
 
PEGI Online is a safety certification that is integrated into the PEGI system. Its purpose is to give young people in Europe better protection against unsuitable gaming content and to help parents understand the risks and potential for inappropriate behaviour within this online environment. The requirements to obtain the right to display the PEGI online compliance label include the obligation to keep the website free from illegal and offensive content created by users and any undesirable links, as well as to take measures for the protection of young people and their privacy when engaging in online gameplay.

Additional links/resources

Contact name: Jennifer Wacrenier (PEGI Project Manager) Contact email address: jennifer.wacrenier@pegi.eu