A win for Jack Thompson… a loss for sensibility.

[Ferral]

I would like to see BBFC ratings on everything as it will open a lot of parents eyes to what is suitable for the minors. When I worked in one of the better known videochains there were parents getting games for kids that wern't suitable as they didn't have a proper certificate on them.

I pointed out to a few people and explained the recommended ratings to them as they were blisfully unaware. I found it was the older parents that wernt to sure on what exactly was suitable unless a title had a BBFC cert on it.

Like one of the posts mentioned here, me and my wife are very careful what we let the kids watch and play. Just because one 12A title is suitable it doesnt mean they are all suitable. We let them watch the X Men which have 12 certs and they understand the good and bad and that it is fantasy. However, we will not let them watch Hellboy which is also a 12 due to it being quite gruesome and the underlying fact that Hellboy is devil related.

It is a fine line that is drawn a lot of the time I find. You can go to far with censorship. If minors dont get it from film and media they tend to get it from schools and public places. As long as parents care and do their best for their children and are sensible with decisions in what they watch and play there isnt a problem. We dont need someone preaching to us telling us how it is with censorship.

[Lee H]

So something like America's Army, or Barbie Showjumping, or The Sims can now be pulled off the shelves should someone decry them as being harmful to minors... and there's not a damn thing anyone can do about it.

But would he go after AA for example ?

I fear not as it's a marketing tool used by the american armed forces to gain more fresh meat.

Any whinging off Thompson and I'm sure they'd be stringing him up on all sorts for traitor charges

[chuckskull]

Any whinging off Thompson and I'm sure they'd be stringing him up on all sorts for traitor charges

Pretentsious lawyer gets firing squad, I predict a youtube hit

[schmunk]

So something like America's Army...

I would very much see him attempt this! Can we somehow get an anti-AA campaign going and see if we can get him to speak out against it..!

[kalniel]

That is class. All this talk of games turning people into killers.. please, someone point him to AA straight away!

[father smurf]

a lot of kids must have joined the army becos of the game AA... have they been corrupted by this evil filth?

They may end up totally corupt and becom politicans!

[chuckskull]

They may end up totally corupt and becom politicans!

..or lawyers

[father smurf]

even wors!

[schmunk]

even wors!

Even whores?

[steve threlfall]

Yup I agree, but that's why I think the shop assistants should do a better job - it's up to them to explain to the parent exactly what they are buying.

It is in no way the responsibility of a sales assistant to explain to a parent what games they should and shouldnt buy for their kids. If a parent comes to a till with an 18 dvd for their kid should it be up to the sales assistant to explain that its not suitable, of course not. The responsibility is, and should be, with the parent and nobody else.

This is why we have BBFC cerftification and ERSB guidelines- to help the parent make an informed desicion. If it has an 18 certificate on it then it should not be purchassed for a minor.

[kalniel]

I'm in no way suggesting they tell a parent what they should or shouldn't buy for their kids - you've misread me. I'm saying an assistant should explain about *what* they are buying, not pass on any judgment.

Basically they should draw the parents attention to the fact that the game is 18 rated and has strong X,Y and Z or whatever, because in all the cases I've seen in the shops the parent has been tricked by the kid and isn't actually aware that the game is even 18. It's about information, which is what the parents are lacking, and what the assistants are there to provide.

[Nick]

It is in no way the responsibility of a sales assistant to explain to a parent what games they should and shouldnt buy for their kids. If a parent comes to a till with an 18 dvd for their kid should it be up to the sales assistant to explain that its not suitable, of course not. The responsibility is, and should be, with the parent and nobody else.

This is why we have BBFC cerftification and ERSB guidelines- to help the parent make an informed desicion. If it has an 18 certificate on it then it should not be purchassed for a minor.

Sorry, not sure what you mean here, but if you mean that the sales assistant shouldn't point out that a game is over the age limit for their kids, that's wrong.

A sales assistant is legally obliged to prevent the sale of age-related goods where necessary, be it scissors, glue, cigarettes or games.

Certainly, if they sell an 18 game to an adult who insists that it's for them and then that adult gives the game to a minor, there's nothing that can be done, but if the sales assistant feels that the adult is buying an age restricted item specifically for a minor, they can refuse the sale... and there are fairly hefty fines for breaching these rules.

It still comes back to parents not being fully aware of just what they're buying for their kids and a sales assistant pointing out that a agme has an 18 rating due to graphic violence or whatever will go a little of the way towards making non-gamers aware of whats in the box.

[steve threlfall]

Perhaps i worded that badly. I am just saying that imo, its the responsiblilty of a parent to ascertain a games suitability for their child in the same way they would a film. I think it should be up to the parent to realise the games rating and suitability guidelines and make a desicion based on that information.

I dont think its up to a shop assistant to educate people. As a p/t sales assistant in a shop that sells blades, dvd's, games, lottery, magazines, glue and cigs i can assure you that im fully aware of the legalitys concerning the sale of such products (thanks to surprisingly useful training).

Now this probably seems like the attitude of someone who just doesnt care but i have given up on trying to reason with parents buying games like GTA for kiddies- 99% of the time they dont want to know. As has been said previously, games just arent thought of in the same way as films. Ultimately i think its up to a parents to make a responsible choice.

I understand what you are both suggesting and i respect that, i juts think differently on the matter.

[chuckskull]

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060620-7091.html

Though you might be interested in that.

The Entertainment Software Association and Entertainment Merchants Association sued the state of Louisiana, arguing that the law was unconstitutional. Judge James J. Brady of the US District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana today issued a temporary restraining order barring its enforcement.

[Wyoming]

Thompson filed a lawsuit on behalf of the parents of three children killed in a Paducah, Kentucky school shooting in 1997. Investigations showed that the perpetrator, 14-year-old Michael Carneal, had regularly played various computer games (including Doom, Quake, Castle Wolfenstein, Redneck Rampage, Nightmare Creatures, Mech Warrior, Resident Evil, and Final Fantasy).

Wait a minute, is there something I am missing? Final Fantasy has been attributed to violence? Firstly, that is a series which gives the user no free control over violence, it is a standard turn-based game in all senses of the word. So there goes that argument.

Nudity? Nope, none of that, althought there was a harem in FFVII. It was in chunky graphics on my playstation though and I doubt that introduced evilness into the minds of many.

Language? Well, in FFIX the lead character tries to teach the younger Vivi that you can use bad language to empower yourself, his bad language amounts to less than one might consider a rude term, not passing as a swear word, it was something along the lines of "damn" if I remember correctly.

Sorry about that, just protecting the FF series.

[directhex]

Wait a minute, is there something I am missing? Final Fantasy has been attributed to violence? Firstly, that is a series which gives the user no free control over violence, it is a standard turn-based game in all senses of the word. So there goes that argument.

Nudity? Nope, none of that, althought there was a harem in FFVII. It was in chunky graphics on my playstation though and I doubt that introduced evilness into the minds of many.

Language? Well, in FFIX the lead character tries to teach the younger Vivi that you can use bad language to empower yourself, his bad language amounts to less than one might consider a rude term, not passing as a swear word, it was something along the lines of "damn" if I remember correctly.

Sorry about that, just protecting the FF series.

jack thompson has tried to have The Sims 2 banned for promoting sex with children

please, stop looking for logic in his arguments. there's none to be found