It's always been considered illegal to sell adult-rated videogames and movies to minors in the UK, ever since the Video Recordings Act of 1984. However, it's been discovered today that the required paperwork was never put through properly, meaning that it's actually been legal to sell adult entertainment to children for the past twenty-five years!
In order for a law to be formally passed in the United Kingdom, it has to be forwarded first to the European Union. Nobody ever actually did this when the law was drawn up over two decades ago, meaning it was never officially in place or legally enforceable.
Those already convicted under the law aren't going to have their sentences reduced or ignored. However, those about to be prosecuted now have to be let off the hook and can't be held on any charges. The government is going to have to scramble to create an "emergency legislation" so that children can be protected under laws that were thought to have already been in place.
Until this legal loophole is closed, it's currently completely legal to sell any kind of videogame to any child. Hell, not even videogames. You want to sell an eight-year-old boy some hardcore pornography? You can DO it! Even stuff previously banned in the UK is now perfectly acceptable while this loophole exists.
What an absolute mess. Still, great news for the porn merchants of Britain.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
8:00 AM on 08.25.2009
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The AU loves this stuff too, and soon, Germany!
Pretty soon, the phrase will be: Only in PAL Games! I bet Jim is glad he moved.
Before you'd always have the "I'm sorry I'm gonna need some ID or else my ass is fined/fired/jailed" line and they'd silently weep salty tears and leave the store. (Usually to find some greasy teen who is old enough to try and get it on their behalf. That's always fun).
Now when they ask you "Why can't you sell it to me?" your only logical response can be "Because I'm dead inside and want to see you suffer."
Then you get egged on your way home.
I don't miss retail. I don't miss it one bit.
Crazy that this has only just been found out. It goes to show how much of a shambles our classification bodies are.
Though imagine if Jack Thompson was an MP in the UK, we'd never hear the end of this...
......I'm off to buy some Animal porn.
HAH. HAHAHA. HAAAAH. *fucking legs it to the nearest adult book store*
And Jim, even 8 year olds are smart enough to know they don't have to pay for porn any more, it is after all what the internet is for.
*Facepalm*
and you'll be recognised as parent of the year because of it.
FREE PORNO FOR ALL
now if you'll excuse me, I have a flight to Britain to get on so that I can throw porn magazines from the sky.
... OH SHIT, GIVING IT AWAY FOR FREE IS NOT LEGAL!!!
Wait, what? How can they still be in prison over a law that didn't actually exist?
Just another reason why the UK is a pile of wank.
:D
Still, parents are clueless about rating systems. I worked once on a gaming store and some picked up GTA for their kids. I told them about the rating and what the game really has inside and they were like "oh, I thought ALL videogames are FOR KIDS" or "Never mind, it has played the previous one already" what jerks, honestly. Parents fail as much as government because they are the ones who voted for them.