Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game Violence Controversy

June 4, 2008

When last we heard from the Girl Scouts in relation to video game issues, they were standing behind California's Leland Yee following passage of the state's 2005 video game law.

But, as reported by the Woodbury Bulletin, a Minnesota Girl Scout has a much different view on video game regulation. Colleen Stone, who created a 10-minute video on game content issues, told the newspaper:

I guess it all started when Hillary Clinton started getting public about video games and video game violence. It was just a blatant disregard for first amendment rights…That was a slippery slope that would easily have transferred to books and movies and newspapers, and that really disturbed me.

In response, Colleen developed a seminar to educate parents on game content and ratings. She invited the manager of a local GameStop as well as a rep from the Minnesota-based National Institute on Media & Family. The seminar was filmed and makes up a good chunk of her video. 250 copies have been distributed to various organizations.

Colleen, who will attend Johns Hopkins University in the fall and is considering a career in video game design, added:

I was worried this was just a pet peeve of mine, but deep down, it’s a constitutional issue. Some games can be so beautiful — some of the games I put on, my mom will just stop and stare… That’s why I think I did this. Video games are not evil.

 


Comments

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

You must also note that the "Hillary Clinton Basis" for these video games tendsto vary on state. I am from New York and I know that in New York violent video games ARE HUGE.

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

One could argue that video games are beautiful, and in SOME instances they are. Restrictions on these games are needed, greatly. One could argue that this is a highway towards the corruption of the First Ammendment, but that is only and assumption. Note that we entered Iraq because we assumed that there were WMD's in there hands. We are always assuming in America. It should never get as far as video games though. Quite frankly video games are not the world to me. We must all come to the realization that when you civilians getting killed in "Grand Theft Auto", or blood spilling on the floor in some kind of alien war game, there is evil behind that. Not all beauty is nuturing.

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

I'm all for freedom of ttnet vitamin speech and allowing rent a car game makers to put whatever they want in games, but there's one thing about this app that has me scratching my head.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but from araç kiralama the previous article araba kiralama on this I gathered that players can use Google maps in-game to find the other (real-life?) dealers in their area.  If this is the case, has travesti anyone considered what's stopping someone from using this app to actually move drugs between hands for reals?

But majority araba kiralama of their outrage araç kiralama stems from what it could DO TO children, not the content itself.  Talk to one of these people and you'll find they don't think any books kiralık araba should be banned from children.  Mention American Psycho and they talk about kiralık araç the redeeming value of using imagination to construct a story.  Reading, no matter what the content, is largely viewed as a consequenceless activity for people of any age.  The reason why I mention American Psycho is because of the content itself.  Gaming never has and likely never will have any scenes where someone has sex with a severed head.  Not gonna happen.  Yet despite this, they'll fight tooth and nail to protect their children from two boys kissing in Bully but whatever they read is harmless... yeah.

The entire arguement is kiralık oto based upon a social normality inflicted by luddites who can't figure out the controls for Halo so it's frightening and terrifying and obviously the cause of youth violence on the rise even though, in reality, it's in decline (which is actually a HUGE suprise given minibüs kiralama the economies status).  In  a perfect world, we would have parents that actually parent.  The idea of sales restrictions on media on oto kiralama any form to accomidate parental unwillingness to get involved with their child's life is the real problem to me.  Here I am, 32 years old, and being held up at a self-scan rent a car needing to show ID before I can buy a $10 M rated game all because Soccer Momthra can't be bothered to look at the crap Billy Genericallystupidson does in his free time.  It's too hard for her, so I have to suffer?

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

 Thank you all for your comments and input. 

I did not know that my video file was corrupted- I put it on youtube (my username is GS1420) and the video is on the website and has been fixed. 

Thank you so much for your interest

Colleen Stone

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

If you can put the Video on YouTube, then more people will be able to access it more easily.

 

Also well done for the girl scouts.

 

Each of us has a voice in this world and the internet is the only way to make our voice loud and clear,

 

I also think that the Parent power website is great for parents who may not understand many things about Videogames....

 

Way more better than the news or politicians who have been pushing so much negative and sensationalist information onto them.

 

I do feel that the best way to let parents become a bit more better aware of Videogames is by just talking to someone who knows and has played many Videogames.

 

 

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

why didn't she put this on youtube?

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

I managed to download the video directly (page source for the win!), and it seems like the video itself is corrupted after that point, rather than a transmission problem.

 

---- There is a limit for both politicians against video games, and video games against politicians. http://www.goteamretard.com

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

Always good to have another intelligent voice in our court.  Johns Hopkins -- not too shabby.

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

Papa what games were released rating pending???

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

Good video, though two mistakes I'd like to point out:

1) It's been documented that movie raters can determine a movie's rating within 15 minutes to a half hour and then just keep tapping on extra notes for the remaining duration of the movie (See: This Film Is Not Yet Rated)

2) Video Games can be released under Rating Pending and have been. They will be sold by stores. The labels are then replaced at later date by the publisher / manufacturer and shipped accordingly. I have had plenty of games over the years which feature an RP on the box as opposed to a specific rating.

Aside from that, a decent fair explanation, though the video failed to play past the 6 minute mark for me...
----
Papa Midnight
http://www.otakutimes.com
http://www.thesupersoldiers.com

 

----
Papa Midnight

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

If anything, I think the important lesson of all of this is that  parental responsibility is what is required, not legislation and witch hunts. Most intelligent people realize that crap that Jack and Hillary have been spouting is out-right wrong, but others see a talking head on TV, and blindly accept what they say; just like the telescreens in 1984. Time to not be sheep people.

"The Good, the Bad, and the Videogame" Reviews on the best, worst, and controversial issues of Videogames. gryphonosiris.blogspot.com/

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

@Doctor Proctor:

I would do the same thing if I didn't have any allergies to just about everything but eggs, oy. I would do just as Strong Bad would do: Buy the scout a cold one.

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

Great video, now if only more people could see it.

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

Just for that, I'm buying at least three boxes of Thin Mint cookies this year.  Gotta support the Girl Scouts if they're turning out smart young women like this one. 

--- "Life's short and hard, like a body building elf." -- The Bloodhound Gang

--- "Life's short and hard, like a body building elf." -- The Bloodhound Gang

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

"The ESRB is not perfect, and so ratings are more a guideline than rules."

Yeah, the video cut out for me too, right as the NIMF guy was explaining why you can't expect someone to play a game all the way through to know it's content, comparing it to how you can make it through a movie in 2 1/2 hours...

EDIT: Er, actually I don't know if he's saying that. It sounds like he's about to say "but games can take dozens to hundreds of hours to complete", but maybe I'm wishful thinking here... The tone of his speaking makes it sound like he's about to question the logic of asking the raters to play every second of an entire game. Then again, he may be just using that for parents instead, and expect the ESRB to play all the content so parents don't have to...

I'll try downloading the video, play it locally instead...

EDIT: Nope, doesn't help. It still cuts out around the 6:10 mark...

-- If your wiimote goes snicker-snack, check your wrist-strap...

-- If your wiimote goes snicker-snack, check your wrist-strap...

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

"It may be appropriate to approach M games on a game by game basis"

Smart advice.

-- If your wiimote goes snicker-snack, check your wrist-strap...

-- If your wiimote goes snicker-snack, check your wrist-strap...

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

We really need to let the ESA, ESRB and Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo know that if unrated movies can come out then some should unrated games. She tells how the big retail companies will not sell unrated games. But those companies have NO problem with unrated movies. >:(

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

Yeah, the video wont play all the way through for me either. 

Re: Girl Scout Creates Film Project to Chronicle Video Game

I actually found that video excellent on content... editing was awful... but, that's not important...

The content and messages were very clear and it's absolutely wonderful to hear an old man say throwing out the tv doesn't work and the best idea is to engage with youth and check out what they're viewing for yourself.

However, it cut out after 6 minutes... I'm just assuming the girl doesn't do a u-turn and have a go at games at the end :p.

 
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E. Zachary KnightIf the videos are of sufficient quality that people subscribe and watch regularly, then those let's players are providing a service that people want. That is the heart of capitalism. That is not something that should be shamed.05/17/2013 - 8:06am
E. Zachary KnightI have no idea who either of those people are. However, I still don't see why making a business out of creating let's play videos is somehow evil or wrong.05/17/2013 - 8:04am
MaskedPixelanteIt sure is if you're just doing it for the money. See Tobuscus and/or Pewdiepie for what happens when people get into it just for the money.05/17/2013 - 7:30am
E. Zachary KnightWhy is it wrong to make money doing LPs? Why should that be something that should be shamed?05/17/2013 - 6:20am
MaskedPixelantehttps://twitter.com/PsychedelicSA/status/335183893214924801 Now here's an interesting, glass half full thought about the Nintendo LP thing. It outs the people who are just doing LPs to make money.05/17/2013 - 5:56am
E. Zachary KnightI responded in writing to all this "let's play" stuff Nintendo Started. No need for my permission, I won't give it. It's not mine to give. http://divineknightgaming.com/?p=29205/16/2013 - 2:21pm
E. Zachary KnightLars Doucet of Levelup Labs has a Reddit going on game companies that allow monetization of Let's Play videos. http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1egayn/lets_build_a_list_of_game_studios_that_allow/05/16/2013 - 1:04pm
Sleaker@Imautobot - yah I wouldn't use an emulator as a good first run test of how stable the console is, haha.05/16/2013 - 11:47am
E. Zachary KnightThe 50th person to jump off a bridge is just as dumb if not dumber than the 1st.05/16/2013 - 10:03am
MaskedPixelanteYeah, let's all jump on Nintendo for doing this, even though they're hardly the first company to do this...05/16/2013 - 9:47am
E. Zachary KnightWow Nintendo, this is wrong. http://kotaku.com/nintendo-forcing-ads-on-some-youtube-lets-play-video-50709238305/16/2013 - 8:44am
Imautobot@Sleaker, further gameplay has revealed that the controller button do stick under the faceplate. Also, The NES emulator (Emuya)keeps crashing on me, though I think a bad ROM is causing it.05/16/2013 - 7:10am
Papa MidnightAE: I wonder if any other publishers will follow suit.05/15/2013 - 8:12pm
Andrew EisenEA is ditching Online Pass. http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/15/ea-kills-its-controversial-online-pass-program/05/15/2013 - 7:20pm
Avalongod@Zach and quicnkold...I've read the bill and the intent of it is to fear-monger. It's not a balanced message. I don't recall the ESRB being mentioned at all. It's more "keeps your kids away from these movies/games or they'll become violent"05/15/2013 - 4:35pm
E. Zachary Knightquiknkold, The big problem with that legislation is the amount of misinformation out there. Who is going to ensure that the information in the pamphlet is accurate?05/15/2013 - 3:25pm
quiknkoldREBeardogg : I'm on the fence about this. on one side, I want parents to be aware of the ESRB, and even Movie Ratings. On the other hand, I feel this will be used for nothing but Propaganda. The ESRB does a good job.05/15/2013 - 3:07pm
IanCFrostbite is coming out on iOS devices. Yet the Wii U cant handle it? *coughbullshitcough*05/15/2013 - 2:31pm
BearDogg-Xhttp://www.politickernj.com/65515/lesniak-ruiz-bill-limit-children-s-exposure-media-violence-clears-senate - Bill requiring schools to publish pamphlets with anti-fake media "violence" propaganda clears NJ Senate05/15/2013 - 2:03pm
quiknkoldI am thinking of writing a musical about videogames, violence, and the first amendment. Would need a collaborator though and would kickstart it after the script is written. was thinking off broadway.05/15/2013 - 2:00pm
 

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