Just when you thought society couldn't slump any lower, this comes along. The following is a press release from IGN
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A leading gaming and entertainment platform just became a leading platform for change. Microsoft Corp. and Rock the Vote today announced a groundbreaking partnership that will allow Xbox 360 owners to register to vote, participate in presidential polls and voice their opinions to the presidential candidates. It will all happen through Xbox Live starting Monday, Aug. 25, the first day of the Democratic National Convention.
"Xbox is a natural partner to help us reach out to youth voters," said Heather Smith, executive director, Rock the Vote. "To realize our goal of registering 2 million young Americans by this fall, we need to go where young Americans are, and there's no doubt in our minds that many are on Xbox 360 and Xbox Live."
This is the first time that Rock the Vote has joined forces with an entertainment partner such as Xbox to reach voters under 30. Xbox Live is the largest online social network connected to the television, with membership totaling 12 million - if Xbox Live were a state, it would rank as the country's seventh largest, giving it approximately 20 electoral votes.
"The Xbox Live community is active, vocal and passionate," said Marc Whitten, general manager of Xbox Live. "We're thrilled to partner with Rock the Vote to make it easier than ever for youth voters - and our members - to register and be heard."
Through the Rock the Vote partnership, Xbox Live members will be able to register to vote, voice their opinions to the candidates through an exclusive forum and participate in potentially election-predicting polls. They will also be able to download Rock the Vote public service announcements.
Xbox also will have a presence at both the Democratic and Republican conventions, promoting the Rock the Vote partnership and educating delegates about creating a safer entertainment environment on Xbox 360 and Xbox Live using the built-in parental controls known as Family Settings. These industry-leading settings allow parents to limit their children's access to video games and movies and manage their activity and communications on Xbox Live. For more information on Family Settings and other safety-enhancing gaming tools and resources, delegates can stop by the Xbox on-site kiosk or visit http://www.xbox.com/isyourfamilyset.
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Now I like the idea of people getting more involved in Politics, I really do. If everyone voted, we'd all see a world fit for us all. But do we honestly want people who wouldn't vote unless the option is presented to them on a blade of their Xbox 360 dashboard being allowed to contribute? I feel some effort should be made, rather than it being a second thought in between bouts of Soul Calibur 4 or whatever floats your boat.
Could this all lead to party political broadcasts in game form? I can just see EA releasing "Democrat Party Manager 2010".
[/img]Manage your own dream team of political professionals. Take on todays tough competition from Republican opposition. Battle it out with your own party to win candidacy, and finally, take the battle to the White House against the Evil Republican leader and win the Cup"
Am I the only one who sees it?
(Please note that I am fully aware you will not be able to ACTUALLY vote, just register to do so. But would you really be surprised after this if that does in fact happen?)
Also, anyone who can create a game cover for 'Democrat Party Manager 2010' gets a gold sticker
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I wish I could actually vote using that method. Saves everyone a shit load of waiting in boring-ass lines.
What if someone lied about their age when they set up their account? Can the 7 year olds who infest live who lied about their ages now vote for McCain?
Really? That seems like a huge logistical problem to me.
Don't you have to provide some kind of ID when you register to vote?
This will never ever happen, believe me.
More peopel voting in any way is good news
This is so stupid on so many levels.
@DJp3dro: Not if the Democratic party had their way. They would love to let illegal immigrants vote if they could.
That would be rucking fidiculous.
I like the idea. There are many reasons why registering to vote wouldn't be on the top of someone's to-do list. Anything that makes it easier for people to have access and participate is a good thing.
plus the level of involvement and voter turn out of Americans under the age of 30 is a fucking embarrassment.
nice one gibbo; you do know i havent actually got any stickers right?
and im certainly not mailing them if i did
Thats a good fucking idea. Fucking people my age NEED to vote this year.
@Heretic
Why do you have a Jimmie Walker Mii?
@redrabbit
It would likely be about as successful as if they lied on a voter registration card. And if successful they would only have as much influence on the election as every other regular voter, and that is to say...not much at all.
This is a good idea in theory, but how many young people out there would vote republican? That's actually what I hate about the voting ages: Most young people who don't have kids and shit are liberals. More importantly, half of them seem to have no clue what the real world is like, seeing it as some great place where we should all hold hands and nobody should be poor, and everybody should have healthcare and everything else for free.
So I don't like this, and thank God they can't actually vote on the 360. I doubt most will even bother with it.
I agree with the premise that it is a terrible fucking idea to let someone vote off their 360. I'm lazy as shit, so I just vote absentee every year. Even registration seems a little weird for a game console.
Are we really so lazy that filling out a form mailed to us takes too much effort to elect the leader of our own goddamn country?
Youth turnout is actually only a few percentage points below the national average, unless the numbers I'm looking at are wrong or outdated. There hasn't really been voter decline, with about 50% of all eligible citizens voting every year. Youth numbers have actually increased by 10% over the last 8 years. I blame Jon Stewart's crazy ass.