UK News Computer games to get cigarette-style health warnings

[The Helper]

Video games will be forced to carry cigarette-style health warnings under proposals to protect children from unsuitable digital material.

The report, commissioned by the Prime Minister in response to a growing moral panic about video games, will conclude that they can harm the development of children’s beliefs and value systems and desensitise them to violence. It will also recommend that retailers who sell video games to anyone under the age rating on the box should face a hefty fine or up to five years in prison, The Times has learnt.

The report, written by Tanya Byron, the clinical psychologist and television parenting guru, is also expected to address the dangers of children’s use of the internet.

“Parents are afraid to let their children out,” she said. “So they keep them at home, but allow them to take risks online.”

Find out more about this here.

 

[AceHart]

> “Parents are afraid to let their children out,” she said.

I guess she forgot or doesn't want to remember that her predecessors, or even herself, are the very reason for this "afraid".
And now they want to repeat the same crap inside?
What's next?

Brave new world.

 

[Turnip]

These people seem to forget that millions upon millions of people in the world are gamers, and for the most part don't do a think. *twitch* Video games do not affect the mind at all. *twitch* *twitch* And the age rating on the box is just to warn parents about what *twitch* game they are potentially going to buy, it is not like it should be treated as a law. *twitch*

 

[DDRtists]

These proposals amaze me, absolutely pathetic in my opinion.

 

[darkRae]

> It will also recommend that retailers who sell video games to anyone under the age rating on the box should face a hefty fine or up to five years in prison

Fine. Ask your brother to buy it for you.

 

[Asehujiko]

Aren't these the same idiots trying to ban "tag"?

 

[Seb!]

Yes. And descendants of the idiots who burned books, and their authors.

 

[Flare]

Maybe I'm wrong here, but haven't a large portion of these anti-gaming campaigns failed?

 

[AceHart]

> haven't a large portion of these anti-gaming campaigns failed?

Well, there's the ages old, tried and tested, and found working, idea of "just repeat it often enough, and some day people will believe it".

 

[undeadorcjerk]

This is dumb. When will the people open their eyes and learn that if the parents don't care, their warnings will do no good.

There could be a mature rating on a video game but if the parent doesn't notice it, the label is just box art.

Fuck, I wish I could say that out in public just once. Wake everyone up to their stupidity.

 

[neckface]

Well as an adult who grew up playing hours upon hours of Super Mario Brothers on my NES, I can vouch for these safety campaigns. Everytime I see a turtle I jump on it, and I've broken both hands dozens of times jump-punching brick walls in vain attempts to earn coins. Also, my morals and values have eroded.