Swiss Violent Videogame Resolutions Move Forward
Swiss Violent Videogame Resolutions Move Forward
February 18, 2010
The topic of violent and adult-rated games has once again bubbled up in Switzerland.
MCVUK and TechEye both report on a resolution that passed unanimously in the Commission for Legal Affairs and would make it illegal to sell games rated PEGI 16 or 18 to under-age minors. Swiss parliament will now have a chance to vote on the measure, which was originally introduced by Christian Democratic Party member and National Councillor Norbert Hochreutener in 2007.
TechEye writes that Hochreutener believes the law is needed to “enforce ratings and make sure kids cannot play what are called 'killer games' in the German-speaking part of Europe.”
A second, and more troubling motion, would call for a complete ban of violent and adult-themed videogames within the country. This motion passed too, though with a closer vote of nine to three, and will also head off to parliament for vote. One of the backers of this proposal is Social Democrat Evi Allemann (pictured).
Allemann’s website offers some of her thoughts (translated) on the banning of such “killer” games:
Such games do not make each one a killer, but they increase the willingness of those who are already vulnerable. A blanket ban on such games therefore seems appropriate and proportionate, especially since they do not have any worth protecting cultural and social content and there are thousands of other exciting games that work without such extreme violence.
One way to implement the motion lies in the operationalization of Article 135 of the Criminal Code. This prohibits the display, manufacture, importation, storage, promotion, etc. of sound and visual recordings of cruel violence.
Another country to keep an eye on in the future.
Edit: Fixed the link for the translated section of Alleman's website.
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Posted 09/05/10 at 04:01pm
BearDogg-X: Adding to PHX Corp's link to the Salt Lake Tribune's opinion piece, it was written by Christopher Ferguson and it also urges Utah AG Mark Shurtleff to sign an amicus brief opposing California.
BearDogg-X: Adding to PHX Corp's link to the Salt Lake Tribune's opinion piece, it was written by Christopher Ferguson and it also urges Utah AG Mark Shurtleff to sign an amicus brief opposing California.
Posted 09/04/10 at 11:55pm
C. Aaron Browbowski Jr.: no way they euthanized a sick whale with c4, thats like the obama healthcare plan for the world, no i'm just kidding, let him bankrupt america :D
C. Aaron Browbowski Jr.: no way they euthanized a sick whale with c4, thats like the obama healthcare plan for the world, no i'm just kidding, let him bankrupt america :D
Posted 09/04/10 at 10:30pm
PHX Corp: PSA: The ECA forums(and GP website) are Not a Ad Toilet, plz do not Drop your Pants and poop out an ad on it(I'm going to end up Getting in trouble for a Toilet Joke)
PHX Corp: PSA: The ECA forums(and GP website) are Not a Ad Toilet, plz do not Drop your Pants and poop out an ad on it(I'm going to end up Getting in trouble for a Toilet Joke)
Posted 09/04/10 at 03:26pm
JDKJ: Does anyone recall exactly when Zippy came down out of the trees and mastered bi-pedalism?
JDKJ: Does anyone recall exactly when Zippy came down out of the trees and mastered bi-pedalism?
Posted 09/04/10 at 11:41am
PHX Corp: Attempt to revive video game law a waste of money opinion on salt lake tribune
PHX Corp: Attempt to revive video game law a waste of money opinion on salt lake tribune
Posted 09/03/10 at 04:31pm
Andrew Eisen: While a desire to conserve a particular marine ecosystem is a laudable goal, securing a 31-foot whale in the middle of it with a 10-ton anchor is probably not the best way to go about it.
Andrew Eisen: While a desire to conserve a particular marine ecosystem is a laudable goal, securing a 31-foot whale in the middle of it with a 10-ton anchor is probably not the best way to go about it.
Posted 09/03/10 at 04:01pm
ZippyDSMlee: Was thinking more of feedig dieing reefs ,ps life is suffering
ZippyDSMlee: Was thinking more of feedig dieing reefs ,ps life is suffering
Posted 09/03/10 at 03:35pm
Andrew Eisen: Number three, explosives are a hell of a lot cheaper, logistically feasible and humane then drowning a sick whale with a 10-ton anchor.
Andrew Eisen: Number three, explosives are a hell of a lot cheaper, logistically feasible and humane then drowning a sick whale with a 10-ton anchor.
Posted 09/03/10 at 03:25pm
Andrew Eisen: Unbelievable. Number one, reefs are in shallow water. Number two, they blew the damn thing up because they couldn't drag it into the water.
Andrew Eisen: Unbelievable. Number one, reefs are in shallow water. Number two, they blew the damn thing up because they couldn't drag it into the water.
Posted 09/03/10 at 03:13pm
ZippyDSMlee: Thats a waste of explosives drag it out to deep off to a reef and put a 10 ton anchor on it, here fishies feeding time!.
ZippyDSMlee: Thats a waste of explosives drag it out to deep off to a reef and put a 10 ton anchor on it, here fishies feeding time!.
Posted 09/03/10 at 11:07am
Andrew Eisen: ...and dozens of stray cats come running from all directions.
Andrew Eisen: ...and dozens of stray cats come running from all directions.
Posted 09/03/10 at 11:04am
Andrew Eisen: Hey, if it's too big to shoot, what recourse do we have but to blow it up?
Andrew Eisen: Hey, if it's too big to shoot, what recourse do we have but to blow it up?
Posted 09/03/10 at 11:01am
E. Zachary Knight: Did they get the idea from the SImpsons?
E. Zachary Knight: Did they get the idea from the SImpsons?
Posted 09/03/10 at 10:55am
Andrew Eisen: Australia: Sick whale euthanized with explosives. No kidding. Video included.
Andrew Eisen: Australia: Sick whale euthanized with explosives. No kidding. Video included.
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Andrew Eisen: Seems so. Hence my lack of surprise.
Andrew Eisen: Seems so. Hence my lack of surprise.
Posted 09/02/10 at 04:14pm
E. Zachary Knight: AE: But isn't that what it normally takes for people in power to make stupid decisions?
E. Zachary Knight: AE: But isn't that what it normally takes for people in power to make stupid decisions?
Posted 09/02/10 at 04:12pm
Andrew Eisen: Sadly, but not surprisingly, it sounds like the decision was based on nothing more than “I heard on the internet you can play as the Taliban.”
Andrew Eisen: Sadly, but not surprisingly, it sounds like the decision was based on nothing more than “I heard on the internet you can play as the Taliban.”
Posted 09/02/10 at 04:09pm
Andrew Eisen: I take it the service folk are unable to decide for themselves whether MOH is something they want to purchase and play. Good thing there's someone to make such tough decisions for them.
Andrew Eisen: I take it the service folk are unable to decide for themselves whether MOH is something they want to purchase and play. Good thing there's someone to make such tough decisions for them.
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Comments
Dang, I thought the Swiss were neutral.
Then they need to ban sugar and cakes, because there is too much people with risk of diabetes due genetics.
Damn, poor people. Their country is run by idiots who use the law in the way they want.
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Such games do not make each one a killer, but they increase the willingness of those who are already vulnerable. A blanket ban on such games therefore seems appropriate and proportionate, especially since they do not have any worth protecting cultural and social content and there are thousands of other exciting games that work without such extreme violence.
One way to implement the motion lies in the operationalization of Article 135 of the Criminal Code. This prohibits the display, manufacture, importation, storage, promotion, etc. of sound and visual recordings of cruel violence.
Please do the same for movies or not at all. And all other media that depicts violence, come to think of it.
Additionally, why are several countries all doing similar action to this at the moment? Is it a mild 'domino effect'? Have games reached the threshold where all politicians are aware of them? Is it moral panic?
Gotta love the circular reasoning behind this woman's statement that something must have "cultural and social content worth protecting" in order to be worthy of protection. And what about the notion that non-violent games are proper substitutes for violent ones? I guess she thinks that games are fungible, like dollar bills?
PS - Can we please stop acting as if PEGI / ESRB ratings somehow represent an objective measure of appropriateness rather than the rating body's own subjective opinion of what's appropriate for certain groups of players?
Congratulations! Welcome to government sponsored censorship! Good idea making those PEGI raters defacto government workers with the power to refuse citizens the right to view games they feel are too objectionable.
Step in the right direction!
...towards a nanny state.
So she admits these games don't make one a killer, but let's ban them anyways.
The problem with that sentiment is that it begs the question. Who gets to decide what does or does not contribute culturally or socially enough to warrant protection from censorship? There's a tacit assumption being made that no games will ever contribute enough without any evidence or reasoning to back up that assumption.
When all meida is filtered for your protection only when all media is filtered for your protection.
Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! CP/IP laws should not effect the daily life of common people! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
Will it be illegal to import said "killer games" if they are banned?
Yes. There actually is a chance that even the possession of certain video games could be declared illegal.
How about banning Religion?
I think that may push many people "over the edge"... So for the best of all, lets ban Religion too.
This sounds like SS ideology to me...
Control what every person does, or send them to prison/camp.
Thank God we have a First Amendment in the United States were the Nanny-State has no business and can't decide for anybody whether they are minors or adults what they can or can't watch, play, read and listen to. (eg. with the exception of obscenity although i believe it's those laws are rediculous and it's excemption from Free Speech has no basis whatsoever in the Constitution)
Free Speech means Free Speech. If you find something inappropriate, unsuitable or offensive, you can choose not to watch, play, read or listen to it and it's your sole responsibilty as a parent to make sure your children can or can't have it whether it's GTA games, Harry Potter or The Holy Bible and Koran. Leave the State out of it. Period.
"No law means no law" - Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black on the First Amendment
Does Switzerland have an equivalent to the Supreme Court where this could be challenged? I know that European laws on censorship are not the same as in the US though, often allowing for at least some censorship.
Does this really represent the views of Swiss citizenry I wonder?
At this point there is no possibility to challenge this.
What actually happened is that a sub-committee of the Council of States (one of two chambers of the Swiss parliament) has recommended to submit a motion regarding the ban of violent video games to the Federal Council (the Executive here in Switzerland). The Council of States itself however has yet to decide about submitting the motion.
If both chambers of the parliament agree to submit the motion, the Federal Council has to prepare and present a draft of a bill to ban violent video games to the parliament. And this alone does not guarantee that said draft would survive the subsequent debate in either of the parliament's chambers, let alone the vote on ratification.
And even IF a bill was passed, Swiss citizens could demand a popular vote (referendum) on said bill.
Regarding the views of Swiss citizens: There is a general understanding that the protection of minors demands at least some restrictions on the sale of violent video games. Some - mostly elderly and/or ignorant - politicians however aggressively advocate a complete ban of violent video games within Switzerland. They usually argue that the consumption of violent video games is the cause for violent behavior in general. The recommendation of the Council of State's legal committee does not come as a surprise. I am quite convinced that they only know about video games from hearsay.
Seriously, how do the wilfully ignorant seem to dominate politics?
"A blanket ban on such games therefore seems appropriate"
You just admitted they don't effect everyone who plays them and yet somehow it's OK to ban them from everyone?
With all due respect Miss, were you dropped on your head when you were an infant?
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