Germany to Ban All Violent Games

[=98=]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

Isn't there just about zero evidence that playing violent video games makes a person violent. Heck, I play violent video games all the time, and I don't want to kill anything larger than a mosquito.

Nah, games really do change some people, i've seen it happen. Especially those who are naturally highly competitive. I've been around schools and seen kids hitting each other because they saw it on Tekken.

There is enough proof to show that games, like films and other realistic mediums can change personalities and behaviour. It all links back to the release of specific chemicals in your brain that cause you to be violent. It's the same stuff that can cause people just to launch unprovoked attacks.

However, a ban isn't the answer. Tighter age restrictions and regulations would go some way to helping. But, games are still available on the net though.

[Mo0by]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

So how are they planning on policing this I wonder?

[Webs961]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

So how are they planning on policing this I wonder?

Fines, jailtime, etc. They'll institute the Video Game Police!

But in complete seriousness, there's no conceivable way they'll be able to enforce that without blocking pirate sites on the internet at the national level. Even then, you can't really stop people from bringing in bootleg copies over the border on unmarked or mislabeled discs. So unless they plan to stop everyone with a DVD at the border and then sift through all the files, this'll never work completely. But, the amount of violent games played will go drastically down as the availability will be severely cut. Most parents will go to the store and buy a video game for their kid, but I doubt they'll travel down to the seedier areas of cities to buy illicit games.

[Yukiism]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

What about the wonders of eBay?

[WolfAlmighty]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

Uh oh...Angry German Kid will be none too pleased if he can't Unreal Tournament spielen anymore.

Seriously though, what a joke. Look at the leaderboards for BF2142...I think about 10 of the top 15 were all from Germany. Banning violent video games to stop violence makes about as much sense as banning breathing to prevent people from getting lung cancer. :shakehead:

[JoMaMaz]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

You know what I always find funny about this, what about the parents? I know some kids/people are just nutz and the parents can do nothing about this, but a lot of the times, the parents that complain about their kids and the video games...well, who is the parent!?! If you can't control your kid, do not go to congress and expect them to do so. Now, I know as parents have said on here before, that's not the case, and I agree also.

My point is this, banning something never makes it go away. Prohibition anyone? Drugs in general? The numbers may be cut some, but then, people are still doing it, and they then pay more money to some shady people instead of an established country. Like others have said on here, hello to pirating and ebay sales of violent games to Germans.

Also, I do believe games can affect people, but so can books, movies, art, other people, religion, school, etc. Are we going to ban all of these? They all can truly affect a person and even change them, but video games for some reason seem to be an easy target. I think it's b/c the violence is seen so easily. To me, a book could be more dangerous b/c it allows the mind to picture stuff and imagine it and if someone is insane, or potentially insane, they imagine worse stuff to act upon than seeing what a developer of a video game came up.

Sigh, this world is retarded, gg.

[DarK']

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

It's a ban on sale and production. Doesn't mean they can't still buy games from everywhere else besides germany.

[Numptie]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

I find it absolutely bollocks, ok, games films music can affect people ( i remember people trying to be power rangers fighting), so if they ban games, films, and certain music should be banned as well.

[imported_Will]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

I find no correlation that violent video games make us killers.

The government is fail for this.

[imported_Whiskey]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

So how are they planning on policing this I wonder?

I think their main concern will be to ban the sale of "violent" games through retailers - both actual stores and German e-sites. This is politics, after all, so sometimes just having the public perception go your way is enough. You don't really have to fix the actual issue.

After that, they may look at some measures to block certain external websites, or sales of specific games from those websites, from being sold. They'll never ban it 100%, of course, but making it difficult enough to be a real pain in the butt for most people will be enough.

..

As far as a correlation between games and violence...although kids and people who have trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality have been doing dumb things they've seen on TV or movies for years (ie. kids jumping off roofs like Superman, or fighting like Power Rangers...even young adults driving dangerously after seeing Fast & Furious, or watching a lot of MMA and picking fights with people, etc)...we also have to remember that games are interactive.

When you watch a movie/TV, it's a set period of time, then it's over (although you can watch it repeatedly if you want). And, it's already pre-determined what happens in the show.

With a game, it's you doing the actions...the killing, stalking, whatever. And as we've probably all experienced, it's very easy to lose track of time with a game, get too immersed, and play for hours on end. Much easier than choosing to watch a movie 2 or 3x over in one sitting.

Over time, it does seem reasonable that this could affect someone to a certain degree. In a totally "normal" person, it might do nothing. In someone with a slight personality issue, it could become somewhat addicting, cause some extended loss of sleep, maybe make them a bit cranky, etc...nothing too severe. But in people with more significant issues, the effects could be much more negative. Would these people still be affected by TV/movies? Probably, but perhaps not to the same degree, because TV/movies are not as interactive.

To be clear, I think there has to be some sort of existing emotional/personality issue there already, and the game/TV/movie is just the trigger, or will just make it worse. In someone who is very well adjusted and balanced, I don't think that games/media will "change" them.

However, I think we also have to take an honest look at people who do watch a lot of movies or play a lot of games...I think a BIG number of those people DO have some sort of issue, which is perhaps what drew them to games/movies in the first place. So, you've got a big number of people who are probably pre-disposed to being influenced, and they're being exposed to a lot of stimuli that could affect them.

Based on that, it's not hard to see how a correlation could be developed. If they do test samples based on general population - probably not. But if they specifically look at people who are really into gaming/movies already - then I would not be surprised if something is indeed found.

[{SA}2|Ssgt.Harker]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

Kids these day's are spending a lot more time with kids and less with mature people who are able to oversee the activety's of the kids ,because parants r working theye dont have time ,because of cutting in education there is no correcting feedback there either so instead of regognizing the real problem theye are playing popular polletics ,in short normal behavior for
polleticions.

[Dairuka]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

Kids these days are spending way too much time with their friends and less time with their guardians who are supposed to oversee the activities that Kids partake in. This is obviously because parents are working too much, and because government is making far too much cuts on the education system, so there are no real figures in the lives of these children. This causes a great deal of problems in itself. Still, these are politicians we are talking about. They're here to play popular politics, rather than actual fixing problems. Of course, this wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't for the fact, the general populace is stupid and shortsighted.

... :)

[Polka]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

*Goes to set up game black market in Germany*

I demand 25% of the income.

[Namakan]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

It's a ban on sale and production. Doesn't mean they can't still buy games from everywhere else besides germany.

Exactly, they are gonna invade Poland all over again :weo:

[Frantic.ie]

Re: Germany to Ban All Violent Games

All of the Poles are in other countries anyway, there is tonnes of them here -_-