Study Finds V-Chip Installed But Unused

Most parents are not using the V-chip television program blocking technology to monitor their children’s viewing, a new study shows.

Two in five parents surveyed reported having a V-chip or other device on their sets that can block programs with violence, sex and crude language. But only half of those parents have activated the devices, according to the study released this week by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Most TV programs now have ratings, and many families have blocking technology,” Annenberg senior researcher Amy Jordan said. “But parents are not using these tools to guide their children’s television use.”

Still, Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., author of the V-chip law, called the report encouraging.

“The Annenberg study found that seven million families are using the V-chip,” he said. “That’s a penetration rate higher than even the most optimistic V-chip supporters anticipated.”

The Annenberg study criticized the entertainment industry for failing to educate parents on how to use the ratings system.

“We know that parents are using the movie ratings system to guide their children’s movie watching and video renting,” said Kelly Schmitt, another Annenberg researcher. “But the television community has not put forth the same effort to educate parents about the TV ratings and educational programming that the movie industry has for its ratings system.”