In September, British prime minister Gordon Brown commissioned an independent report into video games with clinical psychologist and TV presenter Tanya Byron at the helm.

　　The report, which will be published in March 2008, is investigating the effects of exposure to violent games and inappropriate material on the Internet, and also studying whether current measures to prevent material falling into underage hands are sufficient.

　　Today, addressing a crowd of industry professionals and media, Tanya Byron spoke at the BAFTA headquarters in London about her report and the findings so far.

　　She reassured the audience, "It's not about scaremongering or about blaming... It's about how we can support parents to manage all these new technologies." She was also quick to point out that while she had been appointed by the government, she had been appointed as an independent investigator, and would be acting as such. Byron said, "I'm not acting for the government... I may say things that the government itself may find uncomfortable."

　　Byron admits that one of the big issues surrounding the video games industry is a lack of understanding. She said, "A lot of the policymakers don't really understand the technology we're talking about."

　　She also renewed her request for people to send in their opinions on the subject through the review's Web site. The deadline for adults to tell her what they think is November 30. A special booklet has been released today for children to fill in, with the closing date being December 17.

　　Byron says she has already received a "tremendous" response from the public, along with those in the industry, and laughed that her most intelligent e-mail so far had come from an 8-year-old.