kean

Well guys I'm doing a project for school over this and I want some feedback seeing as this is a gaming community. Basically I'm righting about the controversial issue of 'Should video games be censored according to age due to the graphic nature of the game itself'. If you guys can give me any current news about it, links (.edu or .gov) and stuff like that I would be indebted. Basically I have to write why I think video games shouldn't be censored according to age and/or violence.

Anyway, through what you think out there and lets have a little discussion .....

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ScratchMonkey

This is really a Sandbox topic. And it's "writing". "Righting" is flipping a capsized boat over.

Check out this thread:

http://matureasskickers.net/wbb2/thr...threadid=12106

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Toy Poodle

Hmmm I don't remember what the article was about but i remember how a grandmother bought her 14 year old grandson GTA san andreas and when she saw the hot coffee mod she decided to sue rockstar games. Video games really can't be censored anymore then they actually are. We have a rating system for a reason and parents need to realize that its there to let everyone know what kind of game they are buying for their child. You should talk about that a little bit. As for links you might want to try ign.com, they might have some stuff or try wikipedia, type in the subject and look for any reference links on the bottom of the article.

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ednos

Write that any censorship should take place on the parental level, as anything else is a violation of our First Amendment rights.

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The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. ~ Bertrand Russell
I have a tendency to key out three or four things and then let them battle for supremacy while I key, so there's a lot of backspacing as potential statements are slaughtered and eaten by the victors. ~ Magna Centipede

sparhawkxx

Yep don't blame the game blame the parents. The companies put there ratings on the box. I have even been in Gamespot when they wouldn't let an underage kid buy the game.

Internet period. If the parents arn't screening what their kids are doing on the net then again and again its their fault. You can't keep making more rules. Need to follow the rules that are already in play.

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kean

Well for the rating part ESRB rates the games but those ratings aren't actually law. Therefore the business can choose whether or not to enforce them.

For censorship you are correct ednos, at least in the united states. one of my recent sources that I'm using is an article on the U.K. literally banning the game Manhunt 2 due to its graphic nature. Also, Thrill Kill is a game that got "canceled" due to its graphic violence as well.

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sparhawkxx

They have an article on Jericho to I think. Its banned.

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IaMs12

Hey yah there is a reason for the ratings of the games, and parents should take care of what they buy the kids, un til they reach 17 they are free and its hard to control it then, its tought weither to say, What would be a good addition to games is a filter for that stuff, some do have it yes, but should be key locked so parents can control it if they would like to

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kean

Problem with parental control is most parents are very computer inept and the children, who are, can usually counter their attempts to control the computer.

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ScratchMonkey

Before games were considered the cause of all evil, comic books held that role. Before that (and continuing to the present), various genres of music were the spawn of the devil. Moving pictures, then talkies, became a villain in their day.

The mindless masses will always try to blame the latest technical advances in media for their ills and attempt to get it banned. The web, chat rooms, newsgroups, and video games are just the latest in a long tradition.

The best way to counter bad information is not suppression, but better information. If you don't like what someone is saying (including the display of gore or nudity in a video game), then step up and provide an alternative and show why your choice is better.

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Toy Poodle

As far as I thought I knew the ESRB rating is actually inforced by law. I saw it on a TV show on G4 a couple years ago talking about how the rating system came about. But from what i can remember it came from a whole legal struggle between mothers/parents and the game industry when castle wolfenstein came out (i believe that"s the game)

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kean

ESRB enforces contract laws that it makes with video games and retailers. When they rate a game the company creating it cannot change the rating, and cannot advertise against the rating. However enforcing the M rating for example, cannot be legally done. The following is a quote from ESRB's website ...

Retailer Support

Although it does not have the legal authority to implement or enforce retailer sales policies with respect to computer and video games, the ESRB works closely with retailers and game centers to: a) provide in-store signage which explains the rating system; b) support their store policies pertaining to the sale or rental of Mature-rated games to minors; and c) help educate and train store associates and employees with regard to the rating system.

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ScratchMonkey

When Are Kids Old Enough to Play Videogames?
http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/01/24/1425221

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Toy Poodle

O ok I misread what you were coming across with at first. You are right on how you can't enforce the rating. Good luck with the paper.

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section-8

I agree with ednos, 100%; also a rating system is good for parents...especially because (at least in the past) a lot of parents dont know jack-diddly about computers/that nin-ten-do thing. Also, as in what ednos said... I'm pissed that mature games are constantly censored (see: the witcher) to keep the masses in check. Its a MATURE GAME. That means your 13 yr old kid needs to be 17+ OR mature enough in your eyes to experience those things. However, I'm glad that we are stepping away from that a bit with the recent spell of games that actually will swear in game. (like real life. zomg.) Perhaps we can one day get away from censorship in the form of public-coddling. YOU are responsible for your child and no one else.

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