John Penrose

Conservative Party | Weston-super-Mare

MP Calls For Games Epilepsy Warning

Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose is raising the problems of computer games triggering photosensitive epileptic seizures in Parliament.

The Weston-super-Mare MP has asked a series of questions after being contacted by a constituent whose 10 year old son developed the condition after playing a recently released computer game.

Mr Penrose said:

“I was shocked to hear that this game had caused an epileptic fit. Tragically this young man will now be prone to epileptic fits for the rest of his life.

“Most games manufacturers, but not all, follow the Ofcom television guidelines. Some put a warning on the packaging while others put it on the instructions inside.  What concerns me is that there is no legal requirement to publish these warnings

“I’ve asked the Minister if he can explain why these warnings are not a legal necessity. People with photosensitive epilepsy usually develop it before the age of 20.  It’s most common between the ages of seven and nineteen – the prime ages for playing computer games. People with the condition are sensitive to black and white patterns and may be sensitive to certain sequences in some games.

“There need to be clear warnings on the external packaging – obviously displayed - so that young people, their parents and guardians can make informed decisions.

“There are well-established tests to show which scenes from a new game are likely to cause problems. So games manufacturers should have to identify  risky scenes and either remove them or include a clear warning instead.  Currently there is no mandatory requirement. “