UK Urged to Tax Violent Games

[The_root_of_all_evil]

UK Urged to Tax Violent Games

The father of murdered schoolboy Damilola Taylor [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damilola_Taylor] is advising the UK Prime Minister to tax all violent videogames in order to reduce knife crime.

Richard Taylor was brought in last month as one of the advisors to Gordon Brown on the subject of knife crime and was said to be "saddened" by those children that bought violent games that had a "negative impact."

The news comes as Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is rolling out the Government's new initiative on knife crimes. The Tackling Knives Action Plan will be spending £2 million to combat a worrying increase in armed violence amongst teenagers.

Speaking to the Home Affairs Committee, Taylor said that the games were "too cheap" and taxes on them should be "very high." He went on to say how youngsters "feel that the law has no control over them. They just feel that they can go on the streets and do whatever they like."

Games weren't the only media to be attacked as he also laid into rap music about which he said, "there is a lot of negativity that comes out of this music, especially that which is coming from America."

While it's not my place to question the workings of the Government, it does seem that having an emotionally charged parent as an advisor may not present a clear view of the problem.

Source: The Telegraph [http://tinyurl.com/dax2oy]
(Image) [http://www.flickr.com/photos/downingstreet/3100076067/]

Permalink

 

[Galletea]

I completely agree, having an emotionally charged parent as an advisor is not a smart move. You're not likely to get an objective view on anything related to his issue, he wants to wrap every child in cotton wool to prevent other parents going through what he did.

 

[Aardvark]

Tax violent videogames to stop knife crimes...

Why not... y'know... tax... KNIVES???

 

[johnman]

How about we tax polititions so we get somthing useful out of them.

 

[mattttherman3]

Games are cheap? I live in Canada and I think that 60$ is expensive, it is even more in the U.K. Now, I don't know where this guy got the idea that video games were responsible for this, after all, video games tend to focus more on GUN violence.

 

[dthvirus]

I'd imagine that it would be hard to crack down on knife crimes. Owning a gun is very different from owning a knife. It's a lost cause.

I also agree with galletea: never ask a biased person for his opinion before making an informed decision.

 

[Arrers]

You know, they could have used all the time and money spent on pointless endevours like this doing somthing like improving the NHS or education system.

 

[Seydaman]

well pirating is 100% free...and rapping? seriously?

 

[Seydaman]

Games are cheap? I live in Canada and I think that 60$ is expensive, it is even more in the U.K. Now, I don't know where this guy got the idea that video games were responsible for this, after all, video games tend to focus more on GUN violence.

gta san andreas had a fair bit of knifing, but knife laws LOOK OUT CHEFS NO MORE COOKING **cry**

 

[goodman528]

Tax is really the solution to getting less people to use something isn't it?

Just look at petrol for example.

 

[Seydaman]

Tax is really the solution to getting less people to use something isn't it?

Just look at petrol for example.

sad face, if they over tax games people will pirate(theory)

 

[XJ-0461]

Tax violent videogames to stop knife crimes...

Why not... y'know... tax... KNIVES???

And with that statement, you are more fit to run our country than Gordon Brown.

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

How about we tax polititions so we get somthing useful out of them.

This is the best thing I've read in along time. Well done, hehe.

 

[MarsProbe]

Ah, UK politics, whatever will they come up with next? I hated having the oh-so-tragic story of Damilola Taylor rammed down my throat at every inconceviable opportunity by the news back then, and now the guys father is going on some emotionally charged crusade against videogames?

This won't get any support from me, that's for sure. This is nothing more than bandwagon jumping by Mr Taylor - I didn't see them blaming videogames for the cause of his sons death all those years back. Also, what a great way for the UK government to show how supportive it is of the gaming industry by taxing it more? That's really going to make this fair isle a really tempting proposition for games developers looking to set up shop, isn't it?

As for the comment regarding the youth of today feeling that the law has no control over them. well, that's probably because it's true. The law, as it is called in this country, is so damn soft that it's no wonder people feel they can get away with so much, given the relatively light punishments they are received.

Also, "too cheap"? Who is he trying to kid? I have a hard enough time grouping together the funds I need to buy my next game when they currently cost just shy of £40.00. Increasing the price will certainly not help matters one bit.

Hopefully our government will see some sense this time around and stop listening to the words of this so-called advisor.

 

[Somethingfake]

Over £60 is too cheap? And what does gaming have to do with his kids death? They didn't kill him in the hopes they could level up for god's sake.

 

[Legion]

Ah, so a teenager who feels that carrying a knife is a good idea, is going to stop buying violent games if they become expensive as opposed to just stealing them instead?

If the idea of stabbing somebody doesn't bother them then I doubt theft does. It would just affect those who have more than two brain cells in their head instead.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Tax is really the solution to generate more money by raising taxes on things they know people will pay forisn't it?

Just look at petrol, alcohol, cigarettes, cars and meat for example.

This is just another dirty tactic to sneak in extra tax. Using a man who lost his son as a mouthpiece for justification is just low. Especially when said man thinks he is doing some good in the process.
Even an idiot could tell you putting an extra £2 on 50cent's next record won't affect it's sales by much.

 

[Johnn Johnston]

This is possibly the only time I have ever seen someone blame video games and rap music for an increase in crime without a hint of irony involved. To the *shudder* readers of the Daily Mail (and the like), this is right in key, but to gamers, it just shows again that instead of clamping down on knife crime, government officials are trying to find a lovely scapegoat that wasn't around when they were children. They've found two.

Oh, and might I add, using the parent of a murdered child to say things to give them extra 'oopmh' is just wrong - attempting to get empathy on the back of someone else's sorrow.