Livingstone and Lunt’s theory states that regulation (the setting of rules) of media products is becoming increasingly difficult to do. Those in charge of regulating the media (PEGI, BBFC etc) have to work not only in the best interest of the general public (by ensuring safety and protection from harmful media) but also in the best interest of consumers (ensuring choice, value for money etc). Difficulties are caused by two main factors – the powerful status of corporations releasing products and technology constantly growing.

In the UK, the Video Standards Council issue PEGI (Pan-European Game Information) ratings for video games. Games are assigned one of 5 ratings; 3, 7, 12, 16 or 18. Physical copies of the games cannot be sold to anyone under this age, as the ratings are legally enforceable. However, with the decline in physical media sales and rise of technology, it has never been easier for children to access games not appropriate for their age group, as all they need to do is go onto a digital retailer (e.g. PlayStation or Xbox Store) on their consoles and buy the game from there, without needing to provide any form of ID.