text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Truth in Video Game Rating Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. DECEPTIVE RATINGS OF VIDEO GAMES.
  
      Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
  Federal Trade Commission shall prescribe rules under section 553 of 
  title 5, United States Code, to prohibit the following as an unfair and 
  deceptive act or practice prescribed pursuant to section 18(a)(1)(B) of 
  the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)):
              (1) Rating game only on partial content.--Such rules shall 
          prohibit any rating organization from assigning a content 
          rating to any video or computer game that is to bear a label 
          containing such content rating when sold or distributed in 
          interstate commerce unless such rating organization has 
          reviewed the playable content of the video or computer game in 
          its entirety.
              (2) Withholding content for rating.--
                      (A) In general.--Such rules shall prohibit any 
                  person who produces, sells, or otherwise distributes 
                  video or computer games in interstate commerce from 
                  withholding or hiding any playable content of the video 
                  or computer game from, or in any other manner failing 
                  to disclose any playable content of a video or computer 
                  game to, a rating organization.
                      (B) Hidden content.--Such rules shall provide that 
                  where, in the course of obtaining a content rating, a 
                  person submits to a rating organization a video or 
                  computer game that contains hidden content, that such 
                  person also provide the rating organization with the 
                  necessary codes or methods of accessing such hidden 
                  content.
              (3) Gross mischaracterization of content.--Such rules shall 
          prohibit any rating organization from providing a content 
          rating that grossly mischaracterizes (as defined by the 
          Commission in such rules) the content of the video or computer 
          game.
  
  SEC. 3. G.A.O. STUDY.
  
      (a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
  conduct a study to determine--
              (1) the efficacy of the Entertainment Software Ratings 
          Board ratings system in assigning appropriate content ratings 
          to video and computer games, including ratings for online or 
          Internet-based games;
              (2) whether content ratings systems, like that used by the 
          Entertainment Software Ratings Board, should be peer-reviewed;
              (3) whether an independent ratings system, developed and 
          administered by persons or entities with no financial interest 
          in the video and computer game industry, would result in more 
          accurate and effective content ratings for video and computer 
          games than the rating system used by the Entertainment Software 
          Ratings Board; and
              (4) the efficacy of a universal ratings system for visual 
          content, including films, broadcast and cable television and 
          video, and computer games.
      (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
  this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on 
  the findings of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a). The 
  report shall contain recommendations regarding effective approaches to 
  video and computer game content ratings that address the unique ratings 
  challenges of online and Internet-based video games.
  
  SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act:
              (1) Content rating.--The term ``content rating'' means any 
          rating of the content of a video or computer game provided to 
          notify consumers of any content which may be offensive to 
          consumers or may not be suitable to persons of varying ages, 
          including such content as violence, graphic sexual content, 
          nudity, or strong language.
              (2) Hidden content.--The term ``hidden content'' means any 
          playable content that may be disabled or blocked from a user of 
          the video or computer game so that it can be accessed only by 
          inputting a code or command or by altering the game's software 
          with a modification, patch, or similar tool, utility, or 
          method.
              (3) Playable content.--The term ``playable content'', with 
          respect to video or computer games, means all of the scenes, 
          visual images, sounds, and words that a user can access after 
          installing the game on a computer, console, telecommunication 
          device, or similar technology, and includes hidden content.
              (4) Rating organization.--The term ``rating organization'' 
          means the Entertainment Software Ratings Board or any other 
          independent organization that assigns content ratings for video 
          or computer games.
              (5) Video or computer game.--The term ``video or computer 
          game'' means any product, whether distributed electronically or 
          through a tangible device, consisting of data, programs, 
          routines, instructions, applications, symbolic languages, or 
          similar electronic information that enables a user to interact 
          with a computer-controlled virtual environment for 
          entertainment purposes.
target: Truth in Video Game Rating Act - Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to prescribe rules that prohibit as an unfair and deceptive act or practice: (1) any rating organization from assigning a content rating to any video or computer game unless it has reviewed its playable content; and (2) any producer, seller, or distributor of such games from withholding or hiding any such content.
  
  Requires the FTC rules also to: (1) require any person submitting to a rating organization a video or computer game with hidden content to accompany it with the codes or methods necessary to access such hidden content; and (2) prohibit a rating organization from providing a content rating that grossly mischaracterizes the game content.
  
  Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the efficacy of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) ratings system in assigning appropriate content ratings to video and computer games, and related questions.
feat_title: A bill to direct the Federal Trade Commission to prescribe rules to prohibit deceptive conduct in the rating of video and computer games and for other purposes.