In Bill Clinton's State of the Union address, he called for implementation of the "V-chip" in every television across the nation. Many people reacted by saying, "A V-what?" A V-chip. It is a chip inserted into a television set which allows parents to screen out shows that they don't want their children watching. And its implementation may be quite imminent, as it is part of a huge telecommunications bill moving through Congress. Recently, leading V-chip proponents, including Representatives Markey (D-MA), Moran (D-VA), Burton (R-IN) and Spratt (D-SC), and Senators Conrad (D-ND) and Lieberman (D-CT), urged the television industry to establish an industry-wide rating system in preparation of the Act's passage.
The technology of the V-chip is actually quite amazing. According to the system, television companies would rate their shows according to the amount of sex, violence and profanity contained in it. Then, the rating is actually broadcast on the screen, though we don't see it, since it's contained in the small space where we used to see a line if our television wasn't aligned correctly. Parents can them program their chip according to how much sex and violence they will allow their children to watch. If a particular show exceeds that rating, then it is blocked out. Fascinating, hmm?
It is arguable as to whether the V-chip will actually work. Technically, it will. However, it is unknown as to whether the television industry will actually develop a ratings system. The version of the bill passed in the House does not require the industry to develop such a system, it is voluntary. However, the version which was passed in the Senate mandates that after a 12-month grace period, if the television industry has not developed a system, the FCC has the power to do so. In conference, it is doubtful that stipulation will stay intact. But what happens if the V-chip bill is passed and television companies do not rate their programs? Well, then they have to fend for themselves in a market where parents have this technology that they want and are willing to use. It will then be a battle between the industry and the parents.
Many leaders of the television industry argue that this isn't fair, that it is a violation of their First Amendment rights, which guarantee them the liberty to broadcast whatever they choose. They vow a court challenge if the V-chip is implemented. The industry argues that even though they will still be able to broadcast violent programming if they so choose, it will lead to self-censorship. But, the Supreme Court has made special provisions pertaining to the First Amendment concerning the effects of broadcasting on children, namely in FCC v. Pacifica. In that case, the court mandated that the FCC could regulate what time explicit programming was broadcast over the radio and prohibited certain words from being broadcast until late at night, when children were unlikely to be listening.
Others argue that it is not up to the government to decide what children should watch. True. But the V-chip doesn't prevent children from watching anything. It merely enables parents to monitor what their children watch. If they allow their children to watch violent programming, fine, they can do so. But, if parents don't want their children watching anything of a particular violent or sexual nature, it enables them to block that programming out. Plain and simple. It puts the power back in the parents' hands, not the government's. What about simply turning off the television? Well, it's a good idea, but not practical in the least. These days, in most families both parents work and therefore don't have the time to watch everything that their children watch. The V-chip lets them monitor what their children watch even when they are not there.
One final argument against the V-chip is that children will be able to change the ratings from which their television has been programmed and be able to watch all the sex and violence they want to. In fact, this isn't very likely. Each television set will have its own passcode, like an ATM card, that only the parents will know. Therefore, it can't be cracked easily, can't be changed and is fully child-proof.
Now I'm not one who is for the government meddling into people's business. But implementation of the V-chip is not meddling. Violence on television has been shown to promote violence among children. And these days, when crime is becoming so senseless and is occurring more and more among young children, we must do something. Implementation of the V-chip is putting the power into the hands of parents around the country. The government is merely requiring that the television industry grant to parents the option of having this check on programming if they so choose.
