Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

March 19, 2010 -

So much for remaining neutral—a pair of Swiss resolutions dealing with violent videogames have been passed by the country’s National Council.

As detailed last month, the first resolution, proposed by Christian Democratic Party member and National Councillor Norbert Hochreutener, would make it illegal to sell PEGI 16 or 18-rated games to minors, while a second resolution, backed by Social Democrat Evi Allemann, called for a complete ban of violent and adult-themed videogames.

German site Games Markt (translated) notes that the passing of the motions will simply kick off the process of designing the actual legal framework surrounding the two measures.

Alleman’s proposal passed with a 19-12 vote, while it appears Hochreutener’s measure garnered 27 backing votes.

A translated passage from Alleman’s motion offers:

The Federal Council is asked to submit to Parliament a statutory basis, which allows the manufacture, touting, importation, sale and distribution of game programs, to prohibit, in which cruel acts of violence against humans and humanlike creatures for the game success.

|Via MCVUK|

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Comments

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by sharpshooterbabe on Sun, 03/21/2010 - 12:24.

I don't think there are enough Swiss gamers in Switzerland to oppose this law. But again here we go in a round about way to ban all violent video games again........

Humanlike creatures?!?!?! What?! They are kidding right? B/c wouldn't that mean zombies and aliens? (Being sarcastic).

"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Overcast on Sat, 03/20/2010 - 11:16.

They should ban violent books, movies, and music too!

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Karsten Aaen on Sat, 03/20/2010 - 06:01.

1) Germany couldn't prevent people from importing these games that Schwitzerland now are trying to ban the Swiss from importing. 2) Germany couldn't do this because they're member of the EU.
3) In the EU, there is a general rule of free trade e.g. free trade of goods and services. As such, Germany can't ban importing what they consider violent games. 4) Swiss have an associaton with EU, I think?. As such, they can't do this either. 5) They can prohibit the sale of 16+ and 18+ games to minors - just as Germany, Finland, and the UK does.

And again, what is is violent game? Is it GTA IV, or is it Mass Effect 2, or is it the Indiana Jones Lego games? And who is to decide this?

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Afirejar on Sat, 03/20/2010 - 12:16.

Germany does have a ban on importing certain games for anything else but purely personal use. This is not in conflict with EU regulations.

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Speeder on Sat, 03/20/2010 - 12:13.

Swiss is not part of the EU, because that would align them with EU, breaking their neutrality. So they can ban whatever they want freely in that regard.

criadordejogos.wordpress.com

--- Maurício Gomes twitter.com/agfgames

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Black Patriot on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 22:09.

At least in Switzerland anyone can call for a national referendum on any legislature, provided they get 50,000 signatures on a petition within 100 days, so if enough people were against it they they could trigger a referendum. That might be enough to overturn the law, or at very least raise awareness about the issue.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland#Direct_democracy

Switzerland is a pretty awesome place overall, this is just a bad decision by a few people in power.

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Arell on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 21:32.

I'm guessing Switzerland is yet another country that doesn't have Free Speech protection hardwired into a constitution of some sort, easily foiling censoring attempts like this one. Have I mentioned how much I love living in the US?

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Bennett Beeny on Sat, 03/20/2010 - 07:23.

The Swiss Constitution also guarantees Freedom of speech and Freedom of information for every citizen. I reckon it won't be long before this is overturned on that basis

US democracy is by no means perfect. Unlike many European countries you don't have proportional representation, and unlike at least one European country you can't vote your ruling party out at any time if they're screwing the pooch.

Freedom of speech is hardwired into a number of constitutions that have proportional representation and the right to hold an election at any time. Scotland, for example - and the Scots have a system that guarantees healthcare for all. The US is okay, but I wish it had more freedom and a more responsive and representative government.

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Arell on Sat, 03/20/2010 - 09:47.

I'm not saying the US is perfect. I'm just saying that I'm noticing a lot of countries aren't so gung ho about freedom of expression, or have it contitutionally protected in some way. The UK doesn't, Australia. Greece, or Germany either. Yeah, they try to support free speech as much as possible, because it's popular, but it also seems much easier to chip away at those rights in those contries, than in countries where it's a contitutional issue. I was just curious how things were for the Swiss.

Jeez, I forgot I couldn't be proud of being an American in any way, without being seen as an ignorant, nationalist, "Ugly American" stereotype. I'll be more clear in the future.

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Afirejar on Sat, 03/20/2010 - 12:13.

Free speech does have constitutional protection in Germany. It just doesn't have unlimited protection. Which admittedly isn't much of a protection. (The German constitution also guarantees freedom of TV and radio broadcasts since 1949. It still took three decades and the equivalent of a Supreme Court decision to legalize private TV stations.)

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Flamespeak on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 20:52.

We better be careful in dealing with Switzerland, we might lose their valuable knife, clock, and cheese technology.

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by killatia on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 19:50.

Well its one thing to restrict voilent games, but theres no way they can trully banned them all together without some back slash.

http://www.magicinkgaming.com/

http://www.killatia.com/

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by mdo7 on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 18:28.

I hope in the end it fail because of gamers and free speech defender protest against this bill.

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by ZippyDSMlee on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 14:11.

Oh boy just wait till this spills over to other media....

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/

---

http://zippydsm.deviantart.com/

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by MaskedPixelante on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 13:25.

It's a slippery slope. First they ban games that are violent, then they can ban games that feature minarets!

---You are likely to be eaten by a Grue.

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by SimonBob on Mon, 03/22/2010 - 02:31.

I wish I could just click "like" around here, like on facebook, instead of actually replying to generate my approval for certain comments.

---
Fangamer

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Talouin on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 13:17.

It's pretty bad when a Christian Democratic Party member is more reasonable than a Social Democrat. Just wow Switzerland.

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Cheater87 on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 12:48.

Damn you can't even import. They are going to what Germany tried to do a few years ago IIRC.

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by CyberSkull on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 11:32.

So it's all right to sell a game depicting cruel actions to non-humanoid entities?

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by Rodrigo Ybáñez ... on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 10:41.

And there wasn´t anybody to opposse to this?

------------------------------------------------------------ My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com

Re: Swiss Pass Violent Game Bans, Actual Laws to Follow

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Fri, 03/19/2010 - 10:46.

IF not someone better say something.

Saying nothing is worse than doing something and failing.

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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