Enhanced Parental Controls for Xbox 360

Microsoft on Wednesday kicked off year two of the 'Safety is no game. Is your family set?' campaign by debuting a new Family Timer as an addition to the Xbox 360’s family-friendly features.

The new Family Timer feature is an addition to the Xbox 360's Family Settings that helps parents enforce rules on the amount of time their children use the gaming console, on a daily or weekly basis.

Parents can set permissions that allow family members to enjoy Xbox 360 in a user-appropriate environment. This includes not merely deciding what games and DVD movies to allow, but also controlling the ability to establish Xbox LIVE memberships and managing access to Xbox LIVE.

The news comes in light of recent research findings that reveal 62 percent of parents and caregivers would welcome a tool to limit the amount of time video game consoles are used in their homes.

Microsoft also announced a partnership with the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to advocate for a balanced approach to interactive media use, encouraging families to come together to talk about how their children spend their time in front of television and computer screens.

The goal of the campaign is to provide parents with the information and tools they need to make appropriate content choices for their children for both offline enjoyment as well as on Xbox Live.

"We launched this campaign last year to address the concerns of parents about their children’s access to inappropriate content in video games and on their computers," said Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division. "It's designed to educate parents on the tools and resources available that can help them manage their family’s media use."