CIRCUIT CITY bans sale of adult-rated video games, movies, CDs to youngsters

Wednesday, May 23rd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

CHICAGO (AP) _ Circuit City plans to stop selling adult-rated video games to customers under 17, joining a growing list of companies that have instituted such policies under pressure from politicians.

``We still believe that parents are absolutely the primary authority on what their children should see or play. This policy is a reinforcement of that philosophy,'' Jim Babb, spokesman for the Richmond, Va.-based chain of electronics stores, said Wednesday.

Starting next month, Circuit City's 627 stores will ask for identification from young people who want to buy M-rated video games without a parent, Babb said.

The policy also applies to R-rated movies and music CDs with parental advisory warnings.

Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan and several U.S. senators have led a charge against the sale of violent video games to children, contending such material can desensitize youngsters to violence.

``The attorney general is gratified that Circuit City is joining other giant retailers in the quest to lower the level of violence engulfing our children,'' Ryan spokesman Dan Curry said.

Target, Kmart and Wal-Mart announced similar policies last year. Montgomery Ward and Sears had earlier agreed to stop selling the games altogether.

The Federal Trade Commission has been monitoring the video-game, movie and music industries since finding last year that they advertised products with violence and vulgar language to minors.