Govt. to consult industry over issue of violence in games

[Shrygue]

via Games Industry


Gordon Brown has pledged to work with the TV, advertising and games industries to reach a consensus on the issue of violence in the media and potentially introduce voluntary controls.

As reported by the Guardian, Brown was speaking at his monthly press conference. He stated, "Where there is pornographic or violent material, any parent is going to be concerned.

"This is not the Government telling people what they should do... This is society reaching a conclusion with all those people involved about what are the legitimate boundaries.

Brown continued, "I think we have got to look at this as a society. I hope this is one of the areas where there can be common ground between all parties. I think you need to review this with a large number of representative groups, from parents, from the different industries itself and from other areas of public life."

The Prime Minister's comments come just days after he announced the launch of a Government review which will focus on the way violence in the media affects children. It will be conducted by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The initial announcement raised concerns amongst gamers and the industry regarding potential censorship of videogames - but Brown's latest comments seem designed to allay these fears.

"I am not interested in censorship at all, but I think we do need rules governing some aspects of the Internet and videos where children are involved," he stated.

"This is not an area where you can proceed, in my view, without trying to establish both what the boundaries are and what is the consensus you can build around these boundaries."

[IM back!]

im glad i dont live in the uk because people can choose for themselves if thay want violent games and videos.

[Shadowblind]

Games like Doom 3, I can live with.

Games like GTA 4 are pathetically stupid and horrifically discusting. Taking someone from their car, throwing them out, then running over them with their own car. How in san He** is that fun?

[despoteuodia]

ahh freedom of speech. (which applies to more than speech. ie: overly violent videogames) fortunately its up to the buyer (not the govt.) to buy or not buy games. if its to violent, people wont buy it--they will see it as stupid pointless violence. the govt doesnt need to "fix it" by censorship--we dont live in communist russia; we can think for ourselves.
(then why did manhunt do so well???)

[idapimp]

cant wait for blood and gore in manhunt 2. i just hate when they think of censoring games and not allowing violent games to be sold. its stupid. dont regulate the games and the companies. regulate the damn laws that allow kids to get them. require the seller to inform the parent of the content, before she says "my son wants that game", and it's god of war and the kid is 9. simple things like that will help keep kids from playing things like that, while at the same time allow me to purchase the games i like to play.

[callsignAPOLLO]

Long live... TORRENTS, BLOOD, GORE, STRONG LANGUAGE, NUDITY, ADULT CONTENT, PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL, MATURE THEMES, and most of all, CIVIL LIBERTIES... as William Wallace said "They may take our lands, but they will never take, our freedom!!!" Besides, don't F*** with the people; they'll eventually go Spartan on your A** protect our king! DAX; STAND FIGHT AND DIE!!! -Sisko

[John Vattic]

Funny how governments start wars using radioactive dirty weapons, yet say it's the games that corrupt the youth.

I'm sure all the Iraqi mothers who have had children born looking like resident evil would say violent games are the very F***ing least of their fears.

Governments + corporations = Terrorism

[B0RG1010]

More 'Political Correctness' gone wrong, enforced onto by all the 'good' doers to justify their jobs... Sick and tired of this country eroding more human rights telling what you can and can't do... What is the meaning of life I ask you? Work? Play? Procreate? Taxes? What they don't understand they'll tax it. Government never solve problems, they just create moral decay bringing you into a world of bondage and brain washing you in to calling it freedom? Guess what? You all fell for it! Enjoy what you have left... It won't be long before that is taken away from you! Rant over! Fu*k the government, they don't live in the real world anyway with their private pensions... Long live 'Gaming' it's the only escapism of freedom left.