Ministers press forward with plans to tighten videogame laws

[HEXUS]

Government ministers are pressing forward with plans to introduce a ‘legally enforceable cinema-style classification system’ for videogames, according to reports from The Guardian’s digital blog.

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[capt_cornflake]

This was actually front page of the hard copy Guardian on saturday.

I would have thought educating parents is a better strategy.
If mum lets little timmy play Grant Theft Auto despite having an 18 certificate, how is applying more certificates going to help?

[directhex]

video games *HAVE* a legally enforceable cinema-style classification system. games are subject to the video recordings act 1984. the penalty is a 5k fine and 6 months in jail for the retailer, same as with 18-rated movies.

[Prime]

its all bulls*it, and it all gets me so angry.
bottom line is: you have your own mind, if you are buying a certificated game then there is a reason for the age restriction on it.
perhaps they should take the focus off Computer games and try focusing on the fact that fuel is double the price it was 3 years ago, and the housing economy is going the same way rather than compete in a losing battle to severely sensor computer game violence and nudity.

as cornflake quite rightly said, don't buy the kids restricted games - i'm betting that most video game complaints are from nagging mothers who have bought these games for their kid.

i think of all the topics i get frustrated on: taxes, fines, price rises and such - this is by FAR the most sensitive to me, its complete BS coming from the mouth of a cabinet who have no clue in what they are talking about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DavidM]

If parents took some responsibility of what children played... or visited on the web... then this should not even be needed.

A neighbour of mine has a simple solution - computer is in the living room, so no need to censor software - they can watch while they're browsing or playing...

[kalniel]

Originally Posted by Prime

bottom line is: you have your own mind, if you are buying a certificated game then there is a reason for the age restriction on it.

Um that's exactly what this ruling is talking about.
I think it's a great idea, widening the scheme that's already in place (which only enforces it for 18+ titles) and providing more accountability from parents and retailers alike.

[matty-hodgson]

Originally Posted by DavidM

A neighbour of mine has a simple solution - computer is in the living room, so no need to censor software - they can watch while they're browsing or playing...

this isn't always possible, and the constant tapping of a keyboard would be sooo irritating during a film!
and just buy a decent parental control program and you're fine.
parents also need to censor what their kids watch and play when buying these things. and make sure they're out of the room when they watch something like Saw 4! bloody awesome film, but yeah, the goverment can get bent in my eyes, they need to sort out their priorities..
GRRRR!!!!
this world is becoming far too politically correct for me.

[directhex]

Originally Posted by kalniel

Um that's exactly what this ruling is talking about.
I think it's a great idea, widening the scheme that's already in place (which only enforces it for 18+ titles) and providing more accountability from parents and retailers alike.

it's not only in place for 18+ titles, it's in place for any titles which depict sexuality or violence against people or animals. hundreds of games, including the CoD series, have a legally enforced 15 rating. 12-rated games would include serious sam 2 or guitar hero 3

[kalniel]

Ah ok - I knew that once a rating was in place it was legally enforcable, I didn't realise that having a rating was a requirement for non-adult games though. Thanks for the correction

[Lee @ SCAN]

How are the deciding what should be and shouldn't be included within games?

If they screw this up as the current government tends to do with everything it touches then this would be as useful in real life as David Blunkett judging at a miss world competition.

[Salazaar]

Originally Posted by Lee @ SCAN

How are the deciding what should be and shouldn't be included within games?

If they screw this up as the current government tends to do with everything it touches then this would be as useful in real life as David Blunkett judging at a miss world competition.

If it were applied in the same sort of way as the BBFC currently rate films I doubt there'd be much trouble. Film ratings seem fairly lax to me and the BBFC rarely refuse to certify anything, 'if in doubt slap an 18 on it'.

However there does need to be a serious effort to educate parents, if only to shut them up next time they buy little Johnny a copy of GTA and see exactly what's in it.

[kalniel]

Originally Posted by Lee @ SCAN

How are the deciding what should be and shouldn't be included within games?

They're not are they? I just thought this was about classifying them so that only adults can buy adult games.

A legally enforceable cinema-style classification system is to be introduced for video games in an effort to keep children from playing damaging games unsuitable for their age, the Guardian has learned. Under the proposals, it would be illegal for shops to sell classified games to a child below the recommended age.

At present only games showing sex or "gross" violence to humans or animals require age limits. That leaves up to 90% of games on the market , many of which portray weapons, martial arts and extreme combat, free from statutory labelling.

[Lee @ SCAN]

Fair enough I suppose.

[directhex]

Originally Posted by Salazaar

If it were applied in the same sort of way as the BBFC currently rate films I doubt there'd be much trouble. Film ratings seem fairly lax to me and the BBFC rarely refuse to certify anything, 'if in doubt slap an 18 on it'.

However there does need to be a serious effort to educate parents, if only to shut them up next time they buy little Johnny a copy of GTA and see exactly what's in it.

GTA has a BBFC 18 sticker on it. 4 times larger than on a dvd, i might add. any parent buying that for a child needs to be lobotomized with a melon

[TheAnimus]

are parents just not paying attention to what it is kids are playing?

I remeber mine driving me mad by constantly asking me to explain this TFC malarkie too them.

It was only after i'd tried to explain the basic's of Natural Selection that they gave up (a bit confused, but knowing that i was killing marines as little creatures that stuck too the ceiling.)

[Lee @ SCAN]

Best game I've seen with a warning was Severence.

1/2 the case was a warning about blood and gore in yellow and read.

So I ran to the till at full speed as it had a HUGE warning and whacked it on my card straight away.