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Old 08-06-2008, 10:34 AM   #51
Luvian
Ironworks Moderator
 

Join Date: June 27, 2001
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Age: 44
Posts: 6,766
Arrow Re: Grand Theft Auto inspires Thai murder

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cerek View Post
The problem with your examples is that none of them are specifically marketed towards teens and young adults. Video games are. That is why designers of the games need to be held to a better standard.

I agree completely parents bear the brunt of the responsibility. I do monitor the games my boys play, whether on a console or on the computer. However, that does not alleviate the responsibility borne by the manufacturers that produce the game.
Euh, no. Mature video games are not targeted toward teens. You're living in the past. Gamers have aged and so have the games made for them. Video games aren't different than movies; some are for adults, some are for kids. Claiming all movies are for kids would be absolutely ridiculous, and so would claiming all games are for kids is. It's simply an entertainment source, a multimedia format, a way to transfer information. It isn't any different than a book or a movie. It's not "a toy" any more than movies and books are toys. There isn't any default age for video games just as there is no default age for books or movies.

Games are clearly labelled with what ages they are appropriate for. TV ads clearly state what age the game they advertise are made for. Many shops refuse to carry Mature games, and over here all of them that do refuse to sell them to minors. I think that alleviate their responsibility just fine. They're clearly stating these products aren't for kids. What else could they do?

But you know what? You're all rambling for nothing. It's all only hot air, because times and times again laws attempting to restrict video games sales or production have been shot down in courts as unconstitutional. In fact in the last three years such laws were shut down in Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan and California. Even the "Hot Coffee" class action lawsuit wasn't successful.

Your judges and constitutional experts have spoken. Video Games are just a age-neutral method of expression. It's not "a kid's toy".

Parenting is hard. Shifting the blame is easy.
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Last edited by Luvian; 08-06-2008 at 10:40 AM.
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