Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE)

Summary of the initiative

Name
Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE)
Website(s)
http://www.isfe.eu
Objective(s)
Provide parents and educators with objective, intelligible and reliable information regarding the age category for which a given product is deemed suitable from the exclusive standpoint of its content; Secure the consistency of any advertising, marketing and promotional activities of interactive software products, with the basic aim of informing the public on the content of products in a responsible manner; Reflects the interactive software industry's commitment not to put on the market interactive software products likely to be in breach of human decency.

Description of the Initiative

Sector

Self/Co-Regulation Basic Act

LEGISLATIVE ACT
Year
2005
Title of Act
Decision No 854/2005/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005 establishing a multiannual Community Programme on promoting safer use of the Internet and new online technologies, Official Journal L 149, 11/06/2005, P. 0001-0013
Review, Revision or Sunset Clause Year
2006
PRIVATE ACT
Year
2006
Title of Act
Code of Conduct for the European Interactive Software Industry Regarding Age Rating Labelling, Promotion and Advertising of Interactive Software Products and Maintenance of Safe Online Gameplay
Review, Revision or Sunset Clause Year
2012
NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT
Year
1998
Title of Act
Council Recommendation 98/560/EC on the development of the European audiovisual and information services industry by promoting national frameworks aimed at achieving a comparable and effective level of protection of minors and human dignity, Official Journal L 270, 07/10/1998 P. 0048 - 0055
Review, Revision or Sunset Clause Year
2000

Geographical Coverage

Global coverage
Less than EU + third countries
Participating Countries
Belgium

Description

Problems that lead to the introduction of Self/Co-Regulation and the adoption of the Founding Act
This Code reflects the interactive software industry's commitment and concern to provide information to the public on the content of interactive software products in a responsible manner. This industry's contribution complements existing national laws, regulations and enforcement mechanisms.
Target Group(s)
Members of the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE), or any other participants to the interactive software industry (such as the publishers and developers, wholesalers, retail, trade media and advertising companies).
Type of Instrument(s)
Code of conduct.
Level(s) at which private rules should be defined and applied
EU,
Member state
Type of Financing
-
Type of Monitoring
Conduct an initial survey of compliance capacity of future regulateesConduct regular visits and spot checksInitiate complaints proceduresMaintain database of those bounded by the normsProduce regular reportsReceive complaints and verify if norms were breached or notReflexive dialogue with the - stakeholdersOther
European Commission
National public authority
International public authority
Private regulator (code owner)
Private independent party with a mandate (e.g. auditors)
Self-appointed private parties (e.g. NGOs)
Succinct description of the type of Monitoring
-
Type of Enforcement
Faming, shaming and blamingJudicial sanctionsMembership suspension/exclusionPrivate finesOther
Private Regulator
Private independent party with a mandate (e.g. auditors)
Court system
Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) / Online dispute resolution (ODR)
Succinct description of the type of Enforcement
An Enforcement Committee is set up to impose sanctions on companies infringing the Code. Failure will expose the offenders to measures including but not limited to: mandatory re-labelling of packaging, revocation of a particular age logo and descriptors.

Downloads

SMO self- and co-regulation database - private code 41
pdf
EN