Venezuela Bans Violent Videogames

Venezuela has followed through on a plan to ban violent videogames, passing a law that will slap hefty jail terms on anyone who produces, imports or sells them.

Venezuela, one of the most dangerous and crime-ridden nations on the planet, began taking steps to ban violent videogames and toy guns earlier this year. The bill received final approval in late October and will go into effect in three months; anyone violating the new law faces a punishment of three to five years in jail.

What exactly will constitute a "violent" videogame wasn't made clear; GamePolitics says the final decision over which games will be banned will rest with the country's "consumer protection society." Advertisements for toys of a "military" nature will also be banned.

The plan, apparently, is to cut back on activities that might encourage the development of "aggressive" tendencies in Venezuelan children and youth, which will in turn help bring down the country's out of control violent crime rate. The government in Venezuela no longer releases regular murder statistics but opponents of President Hugo Chavez claim that over 100,000 people have been murdered since February 1999.

The government disputes that figure, of course, but I don't think anyone will argue that the situation isn't bad and getting worse. Will a ban on violent videogames make any difference at all? I wouldn't hold my breath.

Source: RIA Novosti

Permalink

Great. Like we really need another Australia...

Now more people are going to get killed because their psychos have nothing to distract them!

HardRockSamurai:
Great. Like we really need another Australia...

From the sounds of it, this is worst then Australia. Let's just hope that the rest of the world doesn't follow through on this.

That's really not going to help a country that's as crime-ridden as it is.

I thought it ended with Mercs 2, I guess they're a little sensitive about a game that encourages you to destry the entire country of Venezuela.

Well, good to know that they're tacking the real causes of crime, and not those silly little annoyances like gangs and drugs. Phew, for a second there, I was worried someone might get their hands on something like Halo, think it was real, and start bombing stuff in case the Covenant are inside it!

im curious to see what sort of effect this actualy has

Damn it, I really thought Hugo Chavez was improving things. He is dead to me now, dead!

When all it takes is looking out the window to see a world full of violent behavior, and the adults yer surrounded by leading violent lifestyles, removing violent games from the mix becomes an exercise in futility.

And thus children that was how the the well meaning but ultimately blind gorvernment of that country kissed goodbye to freedom.

Laws such as this give the country a dangerous presidant. limiting personal freedoms in this way is a slippery slope. might start off as something that looks harmless but well meaning, but how long before travel is limited and curfews are put in place and media come under direct government control, all in the name of stopping the violence?

Yet another socialist leader has started on the road to tyranny, whether or not he realises it. Such a shame.

So a country riddled with violence is banning a great way to blow off frustration?

Why are these people allowed to run their own country when I'm not even allowed to start a business yet?

MaxTheReaper:
So a country riddled with violence is banning a great way to blow off frustration?

Why are these people allowed to run their own country when I'm not even allowed to start a business yet?

This.

As if banning violent games will solve the serious issues that country has.

Furburt:
Damn it, I really thought Hugo Chavez was improving things. He is dead to me now, dead!

O RLY? Chavez may claim he's a socialist,but he's really just does whatever he wants to stay in power.

And for the record,it's not a ban on "violent" videogames. It's a ban on videogames,period.

yeah that will solve their crime issues

Venezuelan government bans violent games... And Venezuelan government is stupid.

Scapegoating games won't help.

As this is more than likely not going to help their plight, it is actually probably a good thing for the american gaming industry. When people cry out against violent games claiming they cause shootouts and murders, we have something to point to and say, 'Are you so sure?'

On the other hand, if they country makes a complete reform and becomes a safer, happier place . . . we may have to face some alternate viewpoints as facts. :P I highly doubt it however.

I think part of the problem with what people deem 'violent' is that there is no separation of types of violence. Personally I would much prefer to see a young teen playing LFD2 than GTA4. Why? Even though LFD2 is much more bloody/gory, the attitude is one of basic human survival against a monstrous threat. GTA tends to encourage thoughts of violence against other normal humans purely for entertainment. I know plenty of perfectly normal, peaceful adults who have fun playing GTA, this isn't a statement against it. What I AM saying is that I think it's the attitude of the violence that matters most.

As one of my invader zim t-shirts said

"Earthlings are idiots!!!!"

He is crazy, crazy Hugo! Hugo Hugo Chavez!

Ever since the uproar he caused over the Mercenaries 2 thing I have looked upon him with a very low opinion. He has doomed his country.

lazy_bum:
And thus children that was how the the well meaning but ultimately blind gorvernment of that country kissed goodbye to freedom.

Laws such as this give the country a dangerous presidant. limiting personal freedoms in this way is a slippery slope. might start off as something that looks harmless but well meaning, but how long before travel is limited and curfews are put in place and media come under direct government control, all in the name of stopping the violence?

Yet another socialist leader has started on the road to tyranny, whether or not he realises it. Such a shame.

Hugo Chavez is, I believe, about as far from well meaning as you can get. He's borderline sociopathic, uses lies even when the truth will work, and is essentially a dictator, not a socialist. He's not on the road to tyranny, he's zooming down it happily at about 90 mph.

I'm not too worried about this setting any kind of international precedent. Most countries with any kind of real democracy aren't going to be using Chavez' administration as an example of how to do things. The nations that will already have civil rights and freedom issues, so no real change there.

Furburt:
Damn it, I really thought Hugo Chavez was improving things. He is dead to me now, dead!

Dude are you crazy? The guy is a COMMUNIST (not to be confused with socialist which is marginally better, but not much) DICTATOR. He wants to control the population, the economy, and the military with an iron fist and he, through his words and actions, has demonstrated he does not believe in personal freedoms. He has seized power, killed and alienated any opposition, and made Venezuela a great example of why too much government control is bad for everyone.

Powerman88:

Furburt:
Damn it, I really thought Hugo Chavez was improving things. He is dead to me now, dead!

The guy is a COMMUNIST (not to be confused with socialist which is marginally better, but not much) DICTATOR.

If he was a dictator, why, when he was deposed in a coup attempt did over a million people in the capital alone protest against the people who took over and restore him to power?

And also, his position is totally socialist, and very different from communism. Why is socialism a bad thing?

He's not the best, but he's not the worst. I couldn't live in a country with no videogames however.

Is this the beginning of a gaming revolution, inwhich violent games will be banned worldwide?

I hope not..

Like they had the money to get video games.
Man, this is just pointless.

HardRockSamurai:
Great. Like we really need another Australia...

On the contrary, it sounds like Australia is set to become the new Venezuela.

Alright Venezuela, tell how effective that plans is 10 years down the line, mkay?

Wow. Way to act like anybody cares, venezuela. Of course, stopping toy guns, there's a sure fire way to stymy crime.

The_ModeRazor:
Like they had the money to get video games.
Man, this is just pointless.

You forget Venezuela is an oil-producing country, a member of OPEC. It's not like the lower classes see much of that, I doubt they even get employed at the oil fields, but there would be plenty of higher classes who see lots of money, money to spend on games for their kids, only now...they can't. Would be interesting to see how this effects next election. If Hugo supported this bill, he'll have nobody to blame but himself when his supporters in government get voted out.

Furburt:

Powerman88:

Furburt:
Damn it, I really thought Hugo Chavez was improving things. He is dead to me now, dead!

The guy is a COMMUNIST (not to be confused with socialist which is marginally better, but not much) DICTATOR.

If he was a dictator, why, when he was deposed in a coup attempt did over a million people in the capital alone protest against the people who took over and restore him to power?

And also, his position is totally socialist, and very different from communism. Why is socialism a bad thing?

He's not the best, but he's not the worst. I couldn't live in a country with no videogames however.

Most likely because it is more susceptible to abuse and corruption than even democracy. In fact I have yet to find an example of socialism in action where people weren't killed for their beliefs, where a minor group of people became the real power(which socialism isn't about), and that country quickly became unpopular in the international standing. If Venezuela wasn't a member of OPEC I would have to wonder if the media ever cared what happened there. This action is going to do nothing to help crime and violence there. Most likely those had their roots in place long before gaming became popular. Besides, this just created more crime, when black markets start selling games, and people smuggle them in to sell for three times their worth. Yeah, good job.

The fact that this is the thing that makes people decide Chavez is bad has me shocked. He's always been right up there with the worst of the worlds dictators.

A sad, sad day for Venezuela.

great, now all they have is Guitar Hero and Elmo.

I have to agree, banning violent videogames will make no difference. Violence itself can never truly be conquered unless we actually start conditioning/drugging the masses in order to suppress the human drive to commit violence. No matter how peaceful everyone else is, there will always be somebody who doesn't fit in with it.

samsonguy920:

The_ModeRazor:
Like they had the money to get video games.
Man, this is just pointless.

You forget Venezuela is an oil-producing country, a member of OPEC. It's not like the lower classes see much of that, I doubt they even get employed at the oil fields, but there would be plenty of higher classes who see lots of money, money to spend on games for their kids, only now...they can't. Would be interesting to see how this effects next election. If Hugo supported this bill, he'll have nobody to blame but himself when his supporters in government get voted out.

Furburt:

Powerman88:

Furburt:
Damn it, I really thought Hugo Chavez was improving things. He is dead to me now, dead!

The guy is a COMMUNIST (not to be confused with socialist which is marginally better, but not much) DICTATOR.

If he was a dictator, why, when he was deposed in a coup attempt did over a million people in the capital alone protest against the people who took over and restore him to power?

And also, his position is totally socialist, and very different from communism. Why is socialism a bad thing?

He's not the best, but he's not the worst. I couldn't live in a country with no videogames however.

Most likely because it is more susceptible to abuse and corruption than even democracy. In fact I have yet to find an example of socialism in action where people weren't killed for their beliefs, where a minor group of people became the real power(which socialism isn't about), and that country quickly became unpopular in the international standing..

Nicaragua was a good example. The sandanistas are still being re-elected every time. The reason that most socialist countries don't work isn't because of any failings of socialism, it's that on an international level, socialism and capitalism are incompatible, and since the US has the bigger economy, it wages economic war (and sometimes real war) against these countries. Pure socialism is impossible to find however, and probably for good reason. The best kind is probably democratic socialism with a tight constitution that requires a full referendum for changes. Anyway, enough of this now, a flame war is a terrible thing.

I think he will ban ar condicionados next they are having a short of eletricity there.

Chavez is what some conservatives think Obama is.

Is there any people here who live in venezuela?

i didnt think so. let them be childish, they are missing out on great games. i think anyone who campaigns against vidoegaming needs to be shot in the back of the head, on live tv.

yes i am violent, but not because of videogames. it is because i had a very bad childhood.