TV's Tanya Byron will head Govt. inquiry

TV parenting expert Tanya Byron is to head the inquiry into violent and sexual content in video games and other media, the BBC is reporting. The review was announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown earlier this week.

Byron presented the BBC TV shows 'The House of Tiny Tearaways' and 'Little Angels', but decided to end her career as a TV presenter earlier this year.

Byron will talk to parents and the entertainment industry about how better to protect children from unsuitable material. The inquiry will study the availability and prevalence of violent games and internet pornography in particular, and look at the effectiveness of existing laws.

"It is essential that parents and anyone involved in the care and development of young people are familiar with the material they will access and view - and of the potential and actual risks therein," said Byron.

Byron will report to the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

"It is not about stopping children having fun," said Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. "It is about making sure they can do so safely."

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Brown said that the study would not lead to increased censorship.