A New Zealand censor has demanded that parents who allow their children to play adult-rated videogames should be sent to jail to provide "shock value" for other families. This proposal would make videogames even more tightly restricted than alcohol, since it would apply to what happens within the family home.
"They might think the offense is silly, but it ain't," claims Chief Censor Bill Hastings, who explains that parents who let their kids play videogames such as Grand Theft Auto could face up to three months in prison or a fine of $10,000. Hastings believes that using such a law to "send a message" would be a valuable use of police time and that three months in jail for letting a kid play Mortal Kombat is a good way of spending taxpayers' money.
Naturally, Hastings took the time to demonize videogames, of course that their are "proven" links to violence, and even going so far as to claim that the term "game" is wrong: "I think the word 'game' can mislead people for sure. It's not checkers. For the first time in history, kids are more savvy with technology than parents ... parents need to get up to speed on the digital divide. They need to look at what their kids are playing and doing. The fear of getting caught shouldn't be the motivating factor for you obeying the laws. It should be the pleasure in being able to sleep at night knowing that you have done the right thing by your kids. That should be the motivating factor."
Are we really going to go this far? Is society so ill-equipped to deal with technological advances that we are going to put people in the stocks for using it? I'm sure we can all agree that a five-year-old playing GTA is not appropriate, but I'm also sure we can agree that it's up to the parents and not the state. For example, I've no problem with a kid playing a game like SoulCalibur, since it's not especially sadistic or gory. If I lived in New Zealand, would Hastings really want me imprisoned for that? It's legal for a child to imbibe alcohol behind closed doors, and that substance actually HAS a proven link to social problems, unlike videogames where the only "proof" comes from wholly unscientific tests. The hypocrisy is so thick you could eat it.
Videogames have become the Salem Witch Trials of the twenty-first century. I hope these anti-game lobbyists and media watchdogs look forward to being laughed at and looked down upon by future generations who can see just how pathetic and lacking in perspective these ridiculous crusades are.
[Thanks Robert!]
Contest:
10:00 AM on 03.07.2009
| 
NEW WORLD ORDER.
Well... actually it's not. People have always found a scapegoat for societal ills and when viewed through a film of pseudo-science, games seem to be an appropriate fit. Games are a source of exposure to violence and unlike a television, you actually commit, in some way, the act of violence itself. So at first glance, video games are a source of the ills in the world.
Take school shootings for example. These are mostly viewed as a horrible thing, but anytime the causes are discussed people get offended. To use ol' Columbine as an example, people tended to blame non-related things or people, example Marilyn Manson. They did and do not want to see that perhaps culture fosters a sense of discontentment that can be expressed through violence. It's easier to blame a video game than it is to admit to yourself that you have a hand in this. Bullys and institutionalized racism and sexism in our schools and society do not foster such violence! Oh heavens no! It's Mario.
I'm not really saying anything that hasn't already been said, but there you go.
So, no one stopped my ass from playing Mortal Kombat II.
BARAKA FTMFW!
Seriously, people need to get an issue. Shit or get off the pot. Am I going to find a contraband copy of GTA in my kid's sock-drawer now?
Scapegoats. First is was the Red Commies, now it's the violent video gamers.
And, Jimbo ... Doesn't support the pound sign? In Windows, hold down ALT then type 0163 on the number pad -- £. There's the pound sign. It should work like a champ. I guess we'll find out once I click "Add Comment". :)
I dont like 8 year olds kicking my butt in a game of Halo 3 ! They should execute the parents that let their kids play game that are rated over their age. In fact, they might as well lock the parents and kids in their house and set it on fire ! If they try to escape, they should be shot with extreme prejudice. Those kids lives are already ruined so it doesnt count as a murder, just a mercy kill.
All jokes aside, I once tried to tell a parent, whose kids pointed at Assassins Creed as the game they wanted, that the game in question was a game solely about killing people and his response was basicaly: "Shut up, they earned it they cut the lawn !"
Violent video games might be harmful to kids but I think being exposed to "reality" might be even worst...
Oh well, glad you liked it anyway.
Proper parenting beats idiotic punishment every time.
Also...i bet it helps the kids TONS when thier family goes into massive debt and loses one or both of thier parents for up to 3 months because they let them play a video game.
To my knowledge this has always been the case. This is how progress occurs the young people lead society to new and more modern ends while the old people become abundant. If old people can't cope with that, might I suggest a bullet through the head. This progressive action will actually ease the transition to those new ideals and therefore do the world a service.
I'm making the tsk tsk noise at you New Zealand.
The way this is expressed is pretty heavy handed but I can see some logic in it, especially as parents constantly blame the games companies for corrupting their children when they don't even bother to read what is in the red rectangle/circle on the front of the game they just bought.
I guess that he is thinking that one or two prosecutions of the most irresponsible parents would hopefully make others understand that games ratings are as important as those for movies or anything else.
It really has. People pointing fingers left and right. Only going off what's on the top of their head. The biggest finger pointer of all is Jack Thompson.
If Jack was backing during the witch trials, he'd have hundreds burned or drowned.
I have 3 boys (6, 4, and 1) and never play Halo around them because I don't want my kids exposed to "rag doll physics" or the game violence that causes it. Yet. It will be soon enough but this should be enforced at the parenting level. Do I think a kid should be shooting people in games? Not too early because I feel it can start to skew their perspective and compassion.
Basically, as it has been said before, it comes down to parenting.
First send the offending parent to jail and have them desensitized to society (with rape), next time little timmy plays an 18+ game, daddy goes mortal kombat on his ass, and poor mother who can't cope with all the stress becomes a crack addict/ whore.
Everybody wins!
That was the first thing I thought too.
Obviously New Zealand is sick of Australia making fun of their mineral exports all the time, and now feel it's time to doing something irrational to get worldwide attention. And Murray is awesome.
Anyway as for the C64 comment, alright for pixel on pixel violence.. no literally its blue dot vs purple dot in C64 combat until 1 dot randomly blinks and dissapears.
Anyone with any sense down there will never let this fly, unless they want to reclaim their historic stain of them being islands for jailbirds.
And indeed, putting lots of kids into care, while their parents are capable of looking after them but in jail is dumb, and just drains tax payers money that could be used elsewhere.
What disappoints me most about both Australia and New Zealand, is that their gamers seem to do nothing to combat this kind of witch hunt oppression against what they love and enjoy. Not buying censored GTAIV was a start, but you gamers down there, must do more to help yourselves and fight for what's right.
Remember, politicians are servants of the people, not the other way around. If you don't agree with them, back it up with some action. Write to Aussie games mags/developer etc and rally some support for your cause. Its the only way to combat these muppets.
With retards like this leading the pack, why bother?
I'm not familiar with the New Zealand lawmaking process.
T Top is right. The governments SHOULD fear it's people. Not the other way around.
"New Zealand needs more to do. Don't they have any real crimes going on that they could be throwing money at? Don't they have drugs or guns or anything at all that could possibly be more important then some kid playing a game under the supervision of his parents?
I'm making the tsk tsk noise at you New Zealand."
Oh yes of course, because "Chief Censor Bill Hastings" (who by the way speaks with an odd foreign accent) represents the entire nation of New Zealand and will get what he wants.
It's a start.