Labour MP Wants Clearer Labels on Games

[spiritslayr]

To be honest I just don't think it's that much of a problem.
When I was 12 and my brother 10 back in 2004, we said to our parents can we have GTA San Andreas. They were initially resistant because of the MASSIVE 18 sticker on the front and that they had heard that it was very violent.
However they decided that despite this, we were mature enough to know the difference between the game and reality and bought it for us. And anyway we'd had Halo since I was 9.

 

[Tipsy Giant]

You know what?

This isn't reasonable.

Every 5 fucking seconds there's something like this. The labels are on there, it'd take a mega-moron NOT to see them or the rating, and I've had enough of this being attached to games yet never to films.

Fuck off Mr Vaz, fuck off.

What upstairs said, plus doesn't this come to down to personal choice, if you see it's an 18 game and still choose to buy it for a child, it's your choice to be that retard and it is you who will have to deal with the consequences

 

[LostTimeLady]

The fact is with games rating, unlike film ratings, at a cimema you can stop an underage person going to watch a 15 (to the best of your ability at least) but with DVDs and games it's not like that. It's so much easier to get someone older than you to buy it for you, or even buy it off the internet I might add on ebay or amazon.
The rating can only ever be an advisory age as it is advising parents if the game is sutible. If they choose to ignore it there's little you can do.
On the back of a game, just like films, there's a note next to the rating telling you if it contains violence, profanities, fear, racism etc so parents and people in general can't claim that parents are ill-informed.
If a parent is prepared to let a kid watch 'Saw 4' or what ever then the child is 11 chances are they're going to let them play 'House of the Dead overkill' desipite both having ratings that say that the content is unsuitble.

Sorry Mr MP, how are you going to solve the problem of parents not really minding that they're children are under the age of the age rating?

 

[Lionsfan]

How much clearer can they get? They have recommended ages, on the back they explain what the game content is like, it's not that hard to read

 

[Pearwood]

It sounds reasonable but I think everyone knows that it's not a labelling issue, it's just a case of people not reading the labels. This is one of those things that you read and at first think "Ok, fair enough" then you think about it a bit and it suddenly screams publicity stunt.

 

[theSovietConnection]

As someone who has in the past written EDMs for MPs, I feel the need to clarify what this actually means.

And EDM means he believes he has a point that needs to be raised in the house of commons, so that the MPs can all decide whether or not the current ratings symbols are adequate.
If he gathers 100 mp's signatures, they will discuss it. You can urge your constituency's mp to sign it, and usually they will comply (Ministers aside)


In light of the large numbers of parents who buy their kids GTA (my parents included) I think it's a perfectly reasonable question to raise.

[HEADING=2]I would also like to point out that the majority of EDMs are written purely to make an MP look like they are doing something. [/HEADING]
Many EDMs go like this

This house supports the effort made by the South African Police in insuring that minimal crime was committed during the world cup this year

I believe I made one that was we should applaud the conservation of rhinos and another that was that we need to take more care of fishermen.
I don't even know what happened to my one that wanted free gym membership for poor obese people. Oh well.

It saddens me most people won't read this because they are too busy in their "RAAARRGH! POLITICIANS R TEH STUPUDZ" rage mode. But you raise an excellent point, and besides, at least he's only calling for clearer labels, not an outright ban.

 

[squid5580]

Clearer than COMIC MISCHIEF??? Clearer than CARTOON VIOLENCE??? CLEARER THAN MILD LYRICS???? Jesus fuck I pulled those warnings off of an E10 rated game. WTF do you want. Graphic Descriptions of every act you might see.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Vaz has a history of attacking [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/96010-U-K-Parliament-Debates-Modern-Warfare-2] violent videogames, but according to his contemporaries, he has recently had a change of heart [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/99592-UK-Anti-Gaming-Politician-Has-Change-of-Heart]. This new motion suggests a person who is concerned about violent games, and wants to take very reasonable steps to make sure that kids aren't playing them.

Being a Chizit, I must sincerely apologise for Vaz who is NOT the mouthpiece of Leicester, but rather a very, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Vaz#Filkin_inquiry] very, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Vaz#Hinduja_affair] dodgy [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Vaz#Suspension_from_House_of_Commons]little [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Vaz#Nadhmi_Auchi] man [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Vaz#conflict_of_interest] who [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Vaz#28_day_query] steals [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Vaz#Parliamentary_Expenses] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Vaz#Video_game_violence] self-promotes [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/89398-Rape-Game-On-Amazon-Triggers-Anger-Outrage].

He is our Thompson/Atkinson, and I apologise for his insanity.

 

[Living Contradiction]

Mr. Vaz, let me point something out to you.

If you feel that a system of communication doesn't work, changing the message on that system does not make a single bit of difference, because the system doesn't work. You have to change the system itself or find a new way to communicate to your audience.

You state that the labels on games aren't clear enough because they aren't working. Mr. Vaz, any person that cannot comprehend a basic number system and colour coding in a society where there is universal schooling will not comprehend anything you put there to clarify it.

The problem is not the labels; The problem is the consumer.

Solution? Educate your consumers. Teach people what the system means and how to use it. Tap your citizenry on the shoulder and remind them "Red bad. Green good." It's pretty simple, so it shouldn't take too much effort.

Oh, wait...that's already been done!!! http://www.pegi.info/en/index/

So, since what you are proposing is redundant and ultimately useless, I can only conclude that you are either clueless as to the issue you're addressing (and I doubt that, because anybody who can remain elected despite being accused of accepting bribes and being suspended from his job for slandering a retired cop has to have some intelligence) or that you're blowing smoke up your country's collective ass to draw its attention from something else you're doing that's legally shady.

 

[Wicky_42]

I love how this system is already in place, and is even clearer than it is on DVDs already. I hate the thought that our population has regressed to the point where having a third of the back of the case covered with warnings, plus age ratings on the spine and front of the case is considered 'insufficient'.

Vaz, if your concern is that despite the rating system we already have the underaged are still playing unsuitable games, perhaps you had best be focussing on educating those doing the buying, rather than focusing on what you are already saying is an ineffective system?!

God, people like him are in charge of running this country. To Canada!

 

[Wicky_42]

I think this is perfectly reasonable, and all the people attacking Mr. Vaz obviously didn't read the article, or even the little paragraph above the link. He's not trying to ban video games or make them look evil, only help distinguish what is appropriate and what is not. No clue what your guys' problem with him is. I think it's a good idea to regulate gaming, because I wouldn't want my future son or daughter, or even brother playing some of the games I play at a young age.

I love how this system is already in place, and is even clearer than it is on DVDs already. I hate the thought that our population has regressed to the point where having a third of the back of the case covered with warnings, plus age ratings on the spine and front of the case is considered 'insufficient'.

Vaz, if your concern is that despite the rating system we already have the underaged are still playing unsuitable games, perhaps you had best be focussing on educating those doing the buying, rather than focusing on what you are already saying is an ineffective system?!

God, people like him are in charge of running this country. To Canada!

Does that answer your question? When I first read it I thought 'yeah, that's reasonable'. Then I thought for a second and realised just how full of bullshit this guy really is, and how this whole thing is just him pushing his agenda just for the self-gratification it gives him. It's be fine if there was an issue with the rating system, but there isn't and this guy's position misses the actual issue that he should be addressing.

 

[Unrulyhandbag]

I'm going to grab a random game box here....

Chronicles of Riddick assualt on dark athena. On here a BBFC stamp stating:

"15. Contains Very strong language, strong violence and sex references. Suitable only for persons of 15 years and over. Not to be supplied to any person below that age."

The description seems pretty spot on to me and BBFC ratings are backed by law and selling the game to anyone under that age can land you a fairly hefty fine.

every game to hand less than eight years old has exactly the same standard labelling on it.

What could possibly be done more? anything else would be singling out the VG medium as somehow more perverse than a similarly rated film.

 

[tkioz]

Sounds very reasonable to me, yes the age rating would work if parents actually paid attention to that crap, but they don't, they just grab whatever the kiddy wants, putting content warnings on them like with vidoes/dvds would work.

I don't know about other countries but it's been that way in Australia since the early days of VHS, example M15+ contains: high level violence, gore, sexual references, drug references, scenes depicting drug use.

 

[corporate_gamer]

he's a backbench MP from the opposition party, i have more power to change things than him.

Actually he has a fair bit of support in the labour party, was a minister and writes quite a lot of articles for the times.

He was a minister, i did not know this. What was he a minister for? I mostly know him for his constant stream of inflammatory bullshit.

 

[Luke Cartner]

Personally I dont see how this is a bad thing.
Clearer labels, maybe less kids play games they really shouldn't have access to, the target audience doesn't really lose anything (except maybe box art but meh).
Quite a reasonable request really..

 

[Giftmacher]

I really don't have time for Vas myself, but some of the PEGI content symbols can be a bit cryptic so I've no major problem with improvement. Anything that helps the consumer to make an informed choice is ok by me. Now if he gets back onto trying to take that choice away then I'm going to have a problem with Mr. Vas.

Gift.

 

[sosolidshoe]

I wish politicians would get this through their thick skulls: THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE LABELS. THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE AGE RATINGS. THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE GAME STORE STAFF. THE PROBLEM IS THE PARENTS.

When I managed a GAME in the UK, every time you try to do your job and inform some retarded excuse for a human being who's about to buy GTAIV for their six year old that it may be inappropriate, you get abuse; "You trying to tell me how to raise my kids?!@!" etc etc.

You want to stop violent videogames getting into the hands of children? Bring in a fucking Breeding License, forcibly sterilise everyone with contraceptive implants, and only take them out when these mouth-breathing sacks of meat have passed a test proving them capable of raising spawn.

 

[Susurrus]

I'd be interested to know how many people in this thread are under-age for games they own, or were at one point.

I certainly was. I find the 18 certificate largely meaningless (there are few games I would agree needed this, actually. I never saw the merit of the Ghoul 2 engine, though, felt it was a step too far, so I'd probably have censored Soldier of Fortune 2.

I mean, honestly. Dragon Age: Origins had an 18 certificate. Why? Because of blood splatter, a few bits of nudity that are tame in comparison to a (15 cert) copy of FHM, adult themes that aren't a patch on Planescape: Torment's (another 15 cert)? I honestly can't see why it wasn't simply a 15. The idea that multiple things - nudity, violence, etc. bumps content from a 15 to an 18 seems flawed to me. Each instance doesn't become any more shocking because there are examples of something else. It's not like 3 topless models = hardcore porn.

 

[FlameFromBeyond]

As much as this worries me, Britain's had it easy, and it could be a lot worse. I hail from the land down under, where we don't even have a R 18+ rating for games - anything that is even moderately above what IS allowed is refused classification. And then all the dedicated Australian gamers simply order the uncensored games from New Zealand, outsourcing all our business worth millions of dollars... Ergo, our government is run by idiots.

EDIT: Also, we get games about six months after everyone else. That always annoyed me.