Okay, maybe that’s not the final word on the matter. It is, however, the conclusion reached in a new study from Microsoft today.

You must have been on the edge of your seats awaiting publication of Microsoft’s second annual “Play Smart, Play Safe” study. Its findings should reward your patience too - especially if you’re a nipper trying to convince Dum and Mad to buy you a new console. Here are the top lines…

First up, the biggie - the study finds that the majority of British parents view video games positively. In quantifying that statement Microsoft says that 61% of those polled agree that games are a great social experience, while 52% feel that video games bring families together and 80% see gaming as an crucial constituent of the modern entertainment mix. Or something like that.

Moving on, it appears that parental awareness of video game ratings and parental controls isn’t just high, it’s growing - and, bizarrely, kids actually seem to want it! 73% of UK parents feel sufficiently informed of such matters, which is an increase of 13% on last year’s total. More impressive, 94% of parents feel responsible for checking the age rating on the games their offspring play.

Speaking of which, 96% of children are aware of ratings/parental controls and 69% say they want their parents to be more involved in checking the suitability of the games they play. Alas only 47% of kids reckon that their folks actually bother, which rather undermines the claim of the aforementioned 94% of parents who reckon they already do. Unsurprisingly 73% of UK children say they’d turn to a mate for games advice instead.

The study reveals that 81% of UK children play offline games and 76% play online at least once a week. Here we find a slight schism - a third of parents admit to knowing little about their kids’ online interactions and 42% worry that their progeny will encounter older individuals online. In contrast, 95% of kids said they felt safe playing online and had not encountered anything untoward or frightening therein.

And that’s about really, although Microsoft is keen to point out that their study’s findings concur with a recent European Parliament report, which states that video games not only have a “broadly beneficial effect on the mental development of children” but “…can also be used for educational and medical purposes”.

There you have it, then. Younger readers may want to memorise some of these stats for the next time a family disagreement turns to the evils of gaming, while parents can feel reassured that it’s safe to let the children play - on Microsoft consoles, obviously…<./I>