Labour MP tables Early Day Motion urging authorities “to take further steps” to highlight violent games
One of the UK’s staunchest anti-games critics has seemingly fallen off the wagon with the news that Keith Vaz, the Labour MP for Leicester East, has gone to Parliament with fresh concerns about the dangers of violent games.
Vaz has table an Early Day Motion to the Commons urging the Government to take “further steps” to flag up violent content in games.
“That this House notes with grave concern that despite the 18 rating that the most violent video games carry, some children and teenagers are still able to acquire them,” he wrote. “Congratulates the work of Mothers Against Violence with regard to their campaign to increase parental awareness of violent games; urges the Government to support the promotion of parental awareness of the violent content of video games which are 18-rated; and calls on the Government to urge Pan-European Game Information to take further steps to highlight the inappropriate content of these games for under 18s.”
Full story can be found on MCV
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I'm surprised he didn't try to claim that Violent games are child abuse too.... only a matter of time
More importantly how can this fraudster be allowed to retain his status as MP is amazing.
I think retail is doing pretty well in restricting sales of 18 rated games to minors (certainly far better than their US counterparts anyway). I think the real problem is the attitude mong parents, there seems to be this mentality that "games are for kids", therefore they go out and buy these 18 rated games for their children/grandchildren as christmas/birthday/whatever presents and think nothing of it. These same people wouldn't dream of buying an 18 rated DVD as their gift, so we need to drive the message home that, while most games are suitable for minors, it's by no means a rule. The ratings are absolutely clear... looking at an 18 rated game and an 18 rated dvd box side by side, the BBFC 18 symbol is at least 60% bigger on the game.
You could argue that exposing children to violent content of any kind IS child abuse. If someone let their kids watch Saw, Clockwork Orange and Scarface would you consider that good parenting.
They're All Great Movies... for adults but that stuff would screw a kid up. No need to make the little brats any worse :)
This sounds like the sort of typical scapegoating that mp's love in order to garner support. I think the retail industry on the whole these days does a very good job of policing sales to under age individuals. It seems to me that if he wanted to really do anything to solve the problem of young children playing violent games he would be focusing the attention on the parents who will happily buy the game for the kids 'because their mates have it'. It seems many parents are far too weak willed to even stand up to their childrens whims. Maybe he should stick to things that are a real problem like MP's fraudulent expense claims.
You know, you don't have to use a picture of old Keithy-boy that makes him look like an idjit to illustrate his idiocy. That just makes you look cheap, not him daft.
Let him speak for himself. Then pull his arguments into tatters and chuck them over him like poo confetti.
Better yet, let him explain his expenses from the last parliament.
He has chosen the wrong targets, but unfortunately voters don't like being told they are thicky-thickos who can't understand that the numbers "1" and "8" standing next to each other in a little circle have a deeper meaning. It's far easier to go after the "pushers" and "producers" than deal with parents who can't quite grasp that just because it's a game, it isn't at all suitable for little Keithy.
I also can't quite believe his constituents voted for him AGAIN. Are they all masochists in Leicester?
