Influence of Age-Rating Label Salience on Perception and Evaluation of Media.

A recent reform of the German protection-of-minors laws demanded the increase of salience factors for the packages of audiovisual media products. This study evaluated the effects of an increase in salience factors of age-rating labels for video games and movies. We used eye-tracking technology in a 2 (Parents, Sons) x 2 (Old, New label) experimental design with 52 parent-son dyads. We measured attention to the age-rating labels and attitude toward the media content. Increased attention to the age-rating labels could be demonstrated. Eye-tracking data showed more frequent and prolonged perception of the more salient age-rating labels. The new age-rating labels were more likely to be fixated and were gazed at longer than their old counterparts. At the same time, this did not automatically lead to a reduction in age-inappropriate media attractiveness. Unintended effects that approached marginal significance were found for adolescent boys: The enhanced attention to new age-rating labels was accompanied by an increased attractiveness of age-inappropriate media. Independent of the type of label shown to parents, they neither allowed their sons to use inappropriate media, nor were they willing to buy such video games or movies for them. Increasing salience factors for age-rating labels is a double-edged sword, resulting in increased awareness of age-rating, but not a reduction in attractiveness of age-inappropriate content.