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I thought I would start a slightly different topic on a subject I feel strongly about - censorship. We will shortly
be approaching the release of GTA3 and this is bound to have the press stirred up and the controversy is bound to be
huge.
Don`t get me wrong I am not advocating the release of Kiddy porn or other sick forms of abuse onto our screens but I do believe that there are some fundamental flaws in the way we are censored in this country.
The following point is related to censorship in general but do relate to the situation of games censorship
1. The reason anything is censored or banned is that the view is that the material is likely to corrupt anyone below the certificate age. I do not have a problem with gory scenes being dropped from PG films although there seems to be one rule for some and another rule for others ( Jurasic Park - the severed arm - a PG? ). However the main issue I have is with the films which are completely banned. They are banned because there effect is classed as having too extreme and effect on the masses to allow anyone to see them. OK - fine idea but who actually rates the film - we have so called experts who spend long periods of time watching and rating this material as unfit for public viewing because of the possible side effects of viewing. Does this not mean that on average the most screwed up person you will ever meet is likely to be a film rater? If this is correct then why should someone who is "affected" by these films rate them for the rest of us?
A bit of a long ramble I know but can you see my point? Do you agree or disagree? Do you not give a hoot?
Ah well - lets see what this topic rings
be approaching the release of GTA3 and this is bound to have the press stirred up and the controversy is bound to be
huge.
Don`t get me wrong I am not advocating the release of Kiddy porn or other sick forms of abuse onto our screens but I do believe that there are some fundamental flaws in the way we are censored in this country.
The following point is related to censorship in general but do relate to the situation of games censorship
1. The reason anything is censored or banned is that the view is that the material is likely to corrupt anyone below the certificate age. I do not have a problem with gory scenes being dropped from PG films although there seems to be one rule for some and another rule for others ( Jurasic Park - the severed arm - a PG? ). However the main issue I have is with the films which are completely banned. They are banned because there effect is classed as having too extreme and effect on the masses to allow anyone to see them. OK - fine idea but who actually rates the film - we have so called experts who spend long periods of time watching and rating this material as unfit for public viewing because of the possible side effects of viewing. Does this not mean that on average the most screwed up person you will ever meet is likely to be a film rater? If this is correct then why should someone who is "affected" by these films rate them for the rest of us?
A bit of a long ramble I know but can you see my point? Do you agree or disagree? Do you not give a hoot?
Ah well - lets see what this topic rings
Films differ from games because there is stronger laws covering who the film is available to. The ratings system is coming to games slowly, and as soon as it does, the games will be less restricted as they can guaruntee the age of the viewer.
I thought I would start a slightly different topic on a subject I feel strongly about - censorship. We will shortly
be approaching the release of GTA3 and this is bound to have the press stirred up and the controversy is bound to be
huge.
Don`t get me wrong I am not advocating the release of Kiddy porn or other sick forms of abuse onto our screens but I do believe that there are some fundamental flaws in the way we are censored in this country.
The following point is related to censorship in general but do relate to the situation of games censorship
1. The reason anything is censored or banned is that the view is that the material is likely to corrupt anyone below the certificate age. I do not have a problem with gory scenes being dropped from PG films although there seems to be one rule for some and another rule for others ( Jurasic Park - the severed arm - a PG? ). However the main issue I have is with the films which are completely banned. They are banned because there effect is classed as having too extreme and effect on the masses to allow anyone to see them. OK - fine idea but who actually rates the film - we have so called experts who spend long periods of time watching and rating this material as unfit for public viewing because of the possible side effects of viewing. Does this not mean that on average the most screwed up person you will ever meet is likely to be a film rater? If this is correct then why should someone who is "affected" by these films rate them for the rest of us?
A bit of a long ramble I know but can you see my point? Do you agree or disagree? Do you not give a hoot?
Ah well - lets see what this topic rings
be approaching the release of GTA3 and this is bound to have the press stirred up and the controversy is bound to be
huge.
Don`t get me wrong I am not advocating the release of Kiddy porn or other sick forms of abuse onto our screens but I do believe that there are some fundamental flaws in the way we are censored in this country.
The following point is related to censorship in general but do relate to the situation of games censorship
1. The reason anything is censored or banned is that the view is that the material is likely to corrupt anyone below the certificate age. I do not have a problem with gory scenes being dropped from PG films although there seems to be one rule for some and another rule for others ( Jurasic Park - the severed arm - a PG? ). However the main issue I have is with the films which are completely banned. They are banned because there effect is classed as having too extreme and effect on the masses to allow anyone to see them. OK - fine idea but who actually rates the film - we have so called experts who spend long periods of time watching and rating this material as unfit for public viewing because of the possible side effects of viewing. Does this not mean that on average the most screwed up person you will ever meet is likely to be a film rater? If this is correct then why should someone who is "affected" by these films rate them for the rest of us?
A bit of a long ramble I know but can you see my point? Do you agree or disagree? Do you not give a hoot?
Ah well - lets see what this topic rings