German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring Violent Games

July 9, 2009 -

With an apparent official crackdown against violent games underway in Germany, gamers have petitioned their government to back off.

German GamePolitics reader "Christian" explains:

In Germany citizens are able to post petitions in an official internet forum of the Bundestag. These petitions are "accepted" when 50000 German citizens electronically sign the petition. When petitions are accepted, the German government has to review, respect and discuss the petition's postulation.

At long last a petition against videogame bans in Germany is online. One can sign the petition here. To watch the development of the petition one can look here.

German gamer Matthias Dittmayer adds:

Yesterday 300 [German gamers] had signed [the petition]. Today it’s over 9000... With more than 50000 at August the 28th our parliament have to deal with the topic. We have no public decision concerning the national level. Just a right that they have to listen to the demand.

As I post this, more than 25,000 German gamers have signed the petition.

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Comments

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by KBKarma on Thu, 07/23/2009 - 06:37.

Is it just me, or has it just cleared 65000? I'm looking at the graph and don't know any German, so you tell me.

[url=http://forum.rpg.net/showpost.php?p=11597732&postcount=18]A member of RPG.net's views on the Eversor Assassin[/url].

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Rey Alp on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 02:41.

@Saxy

In our consitution is written that "everyone" has the right, So also aliens and minors can sign it. Here a "manual":

- http://www.destructoid.com/once-again-germany-needs-the-worlds-help-139470.phtml

But you have to sign with your real name and adress. "Fake"-entries are useless and will be erased.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Saxy on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 21:43.

Oh, hey, I've already posted, but I've gotta repost ask: Can I sign? I mean, I don't live in Germany, but is it legal/acceptable for me to sign anyway?

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Ormick on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 18:34.

I know, unoriginal, but WHAT NINE-THOUSAND!?

Yes I have a WIP. Just wait and see.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by PHX Corp on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 18:22.

Over 35000 signatures have been put on the petition so far

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

America has just became its own version of the Jerry Springer Show after a bizarre moment in Florida involving a carnival worker.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by MasterAssassin on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 16:16.

I applaud German gamers for standing up to their government oppressive crackdown however it is largely their own fault that it has got to this point. They had thier chance to protest, to vote out their elected officials who supported this YEARS ago. They stayed silent and look what happened. Had they risen up and thrown out the oppressive tyrants in public office, it would not have gotten to this point. This is why we must find ANY kind of government regulation of the video game industry tooth and nail because it is one step closer to eroding our civil liberties.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Afirejar on Sun, 07/12/2009 - 23:37.

The chancellor whose government established the current system died years before Pong. Please elaborate how I was supposed to vote someone out of office a decade before my parents were born. What am I supposed to do? Complain to my grandparents that they voted for Adenauer?

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Saxy on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 15:10.

That's awesome news, right there. Germans are regaining their rights, one meme at a time.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Canary Wundaboy on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 13:07.

"Yesterday 300 [German gamers] had signed [the petition]. Today it’s over 9000..."

Surely that's him just taking the mickey, with a sly wink and a nudge?

Too good to be true otherwise.

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Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Meohfumado on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 13:01.

Good for them. Bout time Germans stood up against fascism...

"You know what I wish? I wish all the scum of the Earth had one throat and I had my hands about it."

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by PHOENIXZERO on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 10:52.

Wait, an online petition?? *Sighs* Way to fight the "lazy" stereotype..... Online petitions completely worthless, and are a even bigger waste when printed.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Harry Miste on Sun, 07/12/2009 - 06:26.

From what I've gathered, once the petition hits the 50,000 mark the government are bound by their own law to look at it. So not entirely a waste.

| XBOX LIVE GamerTag: Harry Miste | Steam ID: Harry Miste | PSN ID: HarryMiste |

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Freakazoid on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 04:53.

Well it might not be the most effective effort but at least it sends a clear message to every German politician who still has the opinion that games are just products designed for kids missing the fact that this kind of game is designed to be played by fully socialized adults. At least to me nearly 30.000 signatures within just 3 days (200 alone while I am typing this) is a clear message that gamers just had about enough of this bullshit.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Afirejar on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 04:53.

Sadly, we don't even petition our government to stop censoring our games. The petition is about them not doing even more censorship.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by tacc on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 04:18.

You may want to know that there was also a petition against internet censorship (of course only against child pornography...).

Over 134.000 people signed it in less than 6 weeks (the 50.000 mark was reached after about 4 days). They all demanded do delete this stuff instead of block it.

Guess what happend.

First thing: Many politicians basically said that all those people support child pornography, demand free access to it and so on.

Second thing: They completely ignored the petition (at least the 2 largest Partys, but for them it doesn't matter what the other partys says.

And now we have a law to block child pornography via DNS manipilation. You can bypass this in just a few seconds.

Take a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NNG5I6DBm0

This petition will also be completely useless.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by killatia on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 10:13.

Well that pathetic that they won't even listen to there people.

http://www.magicinkgaming.com/

http://www.killatia.com/

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 06:03.

Sadly, as much as I pray to the highest powers that this petition sends a message, I agree with you.

I can just visualize it being slide into a "Suggestion box" which is just a disguised paper shredder or blast furnace.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by CyberSkull on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 03:38.

That's pretty cool. I wonder if something like that would work in the states?

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Ryno on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 00:31.

Coincidence, or meme? YOU decide!

Edit - Whoops, this was supposed to be a reply Puma(?).

Saying that Jack Thompson is impotent is an insult to impotent men everywhere. They've got a whole assortment of drugs that can cure their condition; Jack, however...

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by PumaFau on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 23:06.

You run out of bullets not enemies

Never underestimate the power of idiots in large amounts.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by PumaFau on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 23:05.

Today it’s over 9000...

ITS OVER 9000

Sorry could not resist

Hope German gamers dont have to deal with censorship

Never underestimate the power of idiots in large amounts.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by mogbert on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 09:44.

Dang, someone beat me to the post!

Vegeta, what does the scouter say about their petition level?"

"It's over 9000!"

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by killatia on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 10:06.

And somewhere in the world a german DBZ fan is saying "Stupid americans its over 800." which it actually true in very country but the us. This has been a usless knowleged!

http://www.magicinkgaming.com/

http://www.killatia.com/

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by gamadaya on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 23:00.

Come on Germany! You can do it!

--------------------------------------------------------

Believe in something! Even if it's wrong, believe in it! -Glenn Beck

-------------------------------------------------------- Believe in something! Even if it's wrong, believe in it! GET OFF MY PHONE! -Glenn Beck

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by nightwng2000 on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 22:18.

So according to the Encyclopedia Dramatica, because I saw it and thought of it, I'm a "Weeaboo".

Dagnabbit!

It's ove.....

Dagnabbit!

Nightwng2000

NW2K Software

http://www.facebook.com/nightwing2000

Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl

Nightwng2000 NW2K Software http://www.facebook.com/nightwing2000 Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Father Time on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 03:37.

I tend to stay away from them as I always have an urge to go to their "offended" page (for those of you who don't know, it's the page they tell you to go to if you are offended by their content, it's basically nothing but truly sick images, such as self-mutilation and dead bodies (including animals).

----------------------------------------------------

Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.

---------------------------------------------------- Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by BearDogg-X on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 20:49.

I would not be surprised if they get the 50,000 signatures by the end of the week.

Geaux Saints, Geaux Tigers, Geaux Hornets, Jack Thompson can geaux chase a chupacabra.

Geaux Saints, Geaux Tigers, Geaux Pelicans. Solidarity for the Saints = No retreat, no surrender. 2013 = Saints' revenge on the NFL. Even through the darkest days, this fire burns always.

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Speeder on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 20:46.

We need that petition stuff here in Brazil...

criadordejogos.wordpress.com

--- Maurício Gomes twitter.com/agfgames

Re: German Gamers Petition Their Govt. to Stop Censoring ...

Submitted by Cerabret100 on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 20:43.

wow, half way there.

Go German Gamers, we're rooting for you.

Shout box

Technogeek: If the developer were male there wouldn't have been a "conversation" in the first place.10/19/2014 - 2:27am

Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm

Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm

Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm

Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm

Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm

Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm

Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm

Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm

ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm

MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm

Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm

MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am

Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am

quiknkold: and we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: The whole thing is Futile. Both sides are so buried deep in their trenchs that there isnt a conversation. Its just Finger Pointing, Name Calling, Doxxing, Threats. there needs to be a serious conversation, and GG isnt it.10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: I thought it was a good article. Jeff is right. I feel like GamerGate did destroy its message. I am for Ethics in game journalism, but man. so much hate. and its on both sides. I've seen some awful stuff spewed on twitter. Its a big reason why I exited..10/17/2014 - 7:34pm

Matthew Wilson: while he focused on gg, he did call out both sides crap.10/17/2014 - 7:18pm

Papa Midnight: That was a damn good read offered by Jeff Gertsmann.10/17/2014 - 7:17pm

Matthew Wilson: http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/letter-from-the-editor-10-17-2014/1100-5049/ deferentially a nice write up.10/17/2014 - 6:44pm

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