Study Finds Few Australians Are Aware of Parental Locks

[Starke]

Do they have an 18 rating for films?

Yes, but unlike any other democratic nation, they also censor books.

Are we sure australians are democratic at all? I doubt it.

OT: Why should australian parents be aware of parental control locks when their government doesn't allow the existence of such games in their country at all?

At least as democratic as Iran or China, I guess.

Also, it does allow 15+ games, which include MW2, so... yeah, that's not really a good excuse, no offense.

I laugh, because I'm 17 and he's 57-or-something, and one day he'll be dead

Not that I wish death upon him, or that I think that would be the best outcome, but it pleases me that I one day I'll be on this planet without such a prick

Honestly I'm a little suprised there's never been an attempt on Atkinson's life. I'm not advocating killing Atkinson, but if Jack Thompson is to be believed (and he's not), Thompson has recieved death threats (peace offerings of flowers?) and Thompson has no legislative power.

It has never made sense to me how children get video games without parental consent. I was spoiled as all hell growing up, but my parents never let me loose with $60 in a gamestop.

I've seen it happen.

 

[Sennz0r]

When I read the title I had a genuine facepalm moment.

Also how can you not care what kind of stimuli your kid gets exposed to?

Idiots.

Because locking the console is for irresponsible parents? They're going to watch/play whatever they want anyway. Sheltering them from it is not a recipe for teaching them to deal with the world. Maybe teaching them that it's a fucking videogame and not real life, and teaching them to think about the things they see would be a better way of raising children...

So you would explain exactly what sex is to a 6 year old when he asks about it?

There's a time in a kid's life when you stop protecting them from the big, scary real world so he learns to cope. There's also a time when you shield him from all the things that are still unfit for the kid. You can't let a kid play a game like Gears of War and then tell him "remember, it's just a game!" when he goes out to play outside with his friends, knowing damn well children re-enact all manner of things they see and experience.

Protecting your child from certain visuals until he's old enough doesn't make you a bad parent. Teaching them how to deal with certain visuals when they eventually come into contact with them is absolutely the right thing to do, I agree with you on that. It's no use to tell a child it doesn't exist or whatever, there is such a thing as overprotective.

However, when you absolutely don't care what a child sees or hears or plays on a console, you are being a bad parent. Protecting them from it or explaining to them it's not real is caring, that's what it comes down to.

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

I don't understand this argument against gaming and corrupting the youth of Australia when they gave the world Mad Max, neighbors and home and away.

Why is this Atkinson such a tossknob?.

 

[Therumancer]

I fail to see how this is fuel for the censorship fire. All it's basically saying is that Australian parents are ignorant and don't bother to do things like read the manuals for the game consoles they are criticizing/supporting Atkinson on, and failed to realize there was little issue to begin with.

Honestly, I don't consider a failure to use the tools provided any kind of a situation that needs the goverment to protect people from their own laziness and ignorance.

Personally I'd think they should include an M/18+ label, but perhaps as a compromise could include putting a sticker on the boxes (or console housing) reminding parents about parental controls or whatever. Perhaps holding the disc tray closed so it has to be noticed/removed before the first game can ever be played.

"If you are too stupid to realize it, you can set parental controls to affect the rating of games the machine will play. In other words... read the manual!".

Well probably more professional than that.

... maybe they could like make the sticker look like a picture of Paul Hogan with a big knife in one hand and a jar of Vegemite in the other. To make sure it's appealing enough to Australians so they will take a look at it.

Or maybe a coupon in the pages of the manual near the parental controls section for a free can of beer. Combined with an national "Fosters: Australian for reading the F@cking manual" ad campaign.


Okay, okay, too silly... but basically I just don't see how proving ignorance helps his case. I mean in the course of this point being made he's also acknowleding that the tools exist and people simply need to be made better aware of them to solve a lot of the problems he's complaining about without resorting to heavy handed tactics.

 

[Irridium]

Wow, really?

Maybe if parents, you know, actually took the time to get involved in what their children are doing, and search for information, then maybe we wouldn't have this problem.

My dad was a construction worker that worked from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M. and still always found time to get involved with my life.

A somewhat less formal survey of the people in this room found that 100 percent of the respondent thinks that 21 percent of Australian parents are dumbasses.

Oh that was good, you made me spill my water all over my keyboard!

 

[TailsRodrigez]

Wait a minute, you're telling me that parents who buy their kids violent videogames are too stupid to know about a lock? get out of here.

 

[Starke]

When I read the title I had a genuine facepalm moment.

Also how can you not care what kind of stimuli your kid gets exposed to?

Idiots.

Because locking the console is for irresponsible parents? They're going to watch/play whatever they want anyway. Sheltering them from it is not a recipe for teaching them to deal with the world. Maybe teaching them that it's a fucking videogame and not real life, and teaching them to think about the things they see would be a better way of raising children...

So you would explain exactly what sex is to a 6 year old when he asks about it?

There's a time in a kid's life when you stop protecting them from the big, scary real world so he learns to cope. There's also a time when you shield him from all the things that are still unfit for the kid. You can't let a kid play a game like Gears of War and then tell him "remember, it's just a game!" when he goes out to play outside with his friends, knowing damn well children re-enact all manner of things they see and experience.

Protecting your child from certain visuals until he's old enough doesn't make you a bad parent. Teaching them how to deal with certain visuals when they eventually come into contact with them is absolutely the right thing to do, I agree with you on that. It's no use to tell a child it doesn't exist or whatever, there is such a thing as overprotective.

However, when you absolutely don't care what a child sees or hears or plays on a console, you are being a bad parent. Protecting them from it or explaining to them it's not real is caring, that's what it comes down to.

There's actually some mildly credible sociological data that says that children who were sheltered from the realities of life completly, (sex, death, and the like) were disadvantaged when dealing with those aspects of life later, in contrast to children who were exposed and could cope much more easily with those factors as an adult. (If I have the time, I'll try to see if I still have the study someplace).

 

[Kajin]

Do they have an 18 rating for films?

Yes, but unlike any other democratic nation, they also censor books.

Are we sure australians are democratic at all? I doubt it.

OT: Why should australian parents be aware of parental control locks when their government doesn't allow the existence of such games in their country at all?

At least as democratic as Iran or China, I guess.

Also, it does allow 15+ games, which include MW2, so... yeah, that's not really a good excuse, no offense.

I wasn't talking about those. I could care less about those. STOP TALKING ABOUT THOSE!
/crazy ranting

But yeah, it was a comment on how parents can't really be bothered to learn how to protect their children from something when the government is doing it's best to do their job for them.

 

[Starke]

Wait a minute, you're telling me that parents who buy their kids violent videogames are too stupid to know about a lock? get out of here.

You remember that kid who used to eat glue in first grade? Turns out he's 27 now, his brain was half fried out by pot when he was 16, his IQ is 11.5, and he has 5 kids now.

 

[Sparrow]

A somewhat less formal survey of the people in this room found that 100 percent of the respondent thinks that 21 percent of Australian parents are dumbasses.

Nicely done. You just managed to insult an entire country. Aren't you mods meant to stop people from flaming, not inspire them to?

 

[Eudaemonian]

I don't understand why technical means of controlling children are the only ones that appear to matter in the gaming context. What happened to standard parental discipline? How do you keep kids from doing any number of things you don't want them to do? Do these parents deadbolt their kids into their houses when they leave? Is the solution to every problem a physical or electronic barrier?

I think it's absolutely pathetic that parental responsibility is so far out of the picture in this debate. You lock your cabinets when you have an infant because he doesn't know any better. Once your child is grown enough, you don't have to keep a padlock on the bleach for fear the kid will drink it.

I don't think we're worried that infants are playing violent video games. We're worried about kids who are intelligent enough to have discussions, to understand discipline and consequences, and to be reasoned with to some degree.

If a kid wants to disobey he will find a way. Win hearts and minds and stop shackling hands.

A somewhat less formal survey of the people in this room found that 100 percent of the respondent thinks that 21 percent of Australian parents are dumbasses.

Nicely done. You just managed to insult an entire country. Aren't you mods meant to stop people from flaming, not inspire them to?

I think he just insulted the demonstrated ignorance of 21% of parents in a country. Polite? Perhaps not. Defensible? Almost certainly.

 

[theaceplaya]

I think it's absolutely pathetic that parental responsibility is so far out of the picture in this debate. You lock your cabinets when you have an infant because he doesn't know any better. Once your child is grown enough, you don't have to keep a padlock on the bleach for fear the kid will drink it.

I don't think we're worried that infants are playing violent video games. We're worried about kids who are intelligent enough to have discussions, to understand discipline and consequences, and to be reasoned with to some degree.

If a kid wants to disobey he will find a way. Win hearts and minds and stop shackling hands.

You have successfully hit the nail on the head. This is exactly what it all boils down to, the parents not stepping up to the plate and taking a more active role in what their children are involved with.

 

[Sennz0r]

When I read the title I had a genuine facepalm moment.

Also how can you not care what kind of stimuli your kid gets exposed to?

Idiots.

Because locking the console is for irresponsible parents? They're going to watch/play whatever they want anyway. Sheltering them from it is not a recipe for teaching them to deal with the world. Maybe teaching them that it's a fucking videogame and not real life, and teaching them to think about the things they see would be a better way of raising children...

So you would explain exactly what sex is to a 6 year old when he asks about it?

There's a time in a kid's life when you stop protecting them from the big, scary real world so he learns to cope. There's also a time when you shield him from all the things that are still unfit for the kid. You can't let a kid play a game like Gears of War and then tell him "remember, it's just a game!" when he goes out to play outside with his friends, knowing damn well children re-enact all manner of things they see and experience.

Protecting your child from certain visuals until he's old enough doesn't make you a bad parent. Teaching them how to deal with certain visuals when they eventually come into contact with them is absolutely the right thing to do, I agree with you on that. It's no use to tell a child it doesn't exist or whatever, there is such a thing as overprotective.

However, when you absolutely don't care what a child sees or hears or plays on a console, you are being a bad parent. Protecting them from it or explaining to them it's not real is caring, that's what it comes down to.

There's actually some mildly credible sociological data that says that children who were sheltered from the realities of life completly, (sex, death, and the like) were disadvantaged when dealing with those aspects of life later, in contrast to children who were exposed and could cope much more easily with those factors as an adult. (If I have the time, I'll try to see if I still have the study someplace).

I'm sure sheltering children from all that stuff completely isn't the right thing to do, which is what I said as well I believe. What I'm saying is you can't dump all of those issues on kids at once and see how they turn out.

What I don't understand is why I'm having this discussion; when a kid starts trash talking or kicking grandma in the shins because they played GTA 4 everyone's outraged that parents let their children play games like that. Are you suggesting we should be completely candid to children now because the middle ground between completely sheltering them from sex, violence etc. and not caring what games they play seems like the best course to me.

 

[Danpascooch]

Was this a survey of parents WITH GAME CONSOLES in their house? Or just all parents?

Because if it's just all parents, then 26 percent is actually pretty damn good

 

[Danpascooch]

When I read the title I had a genuine facepalm moment.

Also how can you not care what kind of stimuli your kid gets exposed to?

Idiots.

Because locking the console is for irresponsible parents? They're going to watch/play whatever they want anyway. Sheltering them from it is not a recipe for teaching them to deal with the world. Maybe teaching them that it's a fucking videogame and not real life, and teaching them to think about the things they see would be a better way of raising children...

So you would explain exactly what sex is to a 6 year old when he asks about it?

There's a time in a kid's life when you stop protecting them from the big, scary real world so he learns to cope. There's also a time when you shield him from all the things that are still unfit for the kid. You can't let a kid play a game like Gears of War and then tell him "remember, it's just a game!" when he goes out to play outside with his friends, knowing damn well children re-enact all manner of things they see and experience.

Protecting your child from certain visuals until he's old enough doesn't make you a bad parent. Teaching them how to deal with certain visuals when they eventually come into contact with them is absolutely the right thing to do, I agree with you on that. It's no use to tell a child it doesn't exist or whatever, there is such a thing as overprotective.

However, when you absolutely don't care what a child sees or hears or plays on a console, you are being a bad parent. Protecting them from it or explaining to them it's not real is caring, that's what it comes down to.

There's actually some mildly credible sociological data that says that children who were sheltered from the realities of life completly, (sex, death, and the like) were disadvantaged when dealing with those aspects of life later, in contrast to children who were exposed and could cope much more easily with those factors as an adult. (If I have the time, I'll try to see if I still have the study someplace).

I'm sure sheltering children from all that stuff completely isn't the right thing to do, which is what I said as well I believe. What I'm saying is you can't dump all of those issues on kids at once and see how they turn out.

What I don't understand is why I'm having this discussion; when a kid starts trash talking or kicking grandma in the shins because they played GTA 4 everyone's outraged that parents let their children play games like that. Are you suggesting we should be completely candid to children now because the middle ground between completely sheltering them from sex, violence etc. and not caring what games they play seems like the best course to me.

Balance people, balance, there is no right answer when dealing in absolutes.

But it my opinion, once a kid hits about 14, you shouldn't really bother to shelter him much anymore.

 

[BaldursBananaSoap]

Yep, those parents were right about the children finding a way to break to lock. They are descended from criminals after all.

Spoiler

JOKEZ LULZ

 

[Jharry5]

The point at the end of the OP was quite a nice little thought; Atkinson could very well use this to back up his anti-gaming crusade, but if Australian parents knew more about them then the age rating system shouldn't be a problem.

How do other countries possibly cope with such things readily available? [/sarcasm]

 

[Truly-A-Lie]

Well I grew up watching whatever I felt like, and once I got to about 9 I could play whatever I felt like, and I never once had a discussion about the difference between reality and gaming, because my parents brought me up so that I had some sense, regardless of topic. I turned out fine, have not once murdered someone. Actually I've never even had a fight.
A friend of mine was brought up watching violence, his dad wanted him desensitised to it, then made sure he would know it is allowed in fiction, but not in real life. Again, he turned out fine.
As far as I can tell, sheltering them just isn't the way to go.

 

[Treblaine]

Smart Australian politician : "Hey, maybe the government should organise some sort of public information initiative, put adverts on TV and pamphlets in waiting rooms to educate parents about their responsibility with age blocks on video games and all other modern media devices?"

Atkinson: "BAH Humbug, knowledge is POWER and we cannot risk letting the heaving masses getting a hold of it, best just let them live in ignorance and stop those feckless voters have anything which might give them any ideas. And why should I listen to you anyway 'Smart Australian Politician', you don't even exists, you can't exist!"