Switzerland to Ban Violent Video Games
Switzerland not so neutral on violent video games.
The Swiss have been able to stay neutral throughout many of history's major conflicts. Now the Swiss government aims to keep extreme video games out of the country.
Swiss National Council has officially passed a law that will most likely lead to a ban on violent video games, reported MCVUK. While exact details won't be revealed until the Swiss government announces the new guidelines, it's expected that any game that "requires cruel acts of violence against humans and humanlike creatures for in-game success" will be banned, as per the original motion.
This would likely affect most games rated 16+ or 18+ by the Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) body.
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Switzerland has also banned aggressive breathing, dirty looks and angry fonts so this comes as little suprise.
What have the swedes against killing nazis, mutants and the Combine? This is preposterous!
So instead of educating people about why the cruel acts in a video game are bad to do in real life, they would rather censor them?
What was that motto about the easiest path isn't always right?
LOL I at first thought the picture meant nudity was ok for ages 3 and up and gambling was ok for ages 18 and up
Damnit, I was going to move to Switzerland because of the Health Care bill...
What have the swedes against killing nazis, mutants and the Combine? This is preposterous!
The Swedes appear to have no such issues with violent games. Not really an issue in Europe since you can simply drive across the boarder, or get it in the post.
THe government huffs and puffs, but nothing will really change
the_krasno: "Swedes" are in Sweden. These people would be the "Swiss."
jakew120: I guess they think it would be easier and cheaper to just ban these games from entering the country than it would be to fund and deploy an educational campaign regarding the acts within them. Such education should come from within the home, though.
You cant legislate moral, like in australia its a mistake that serves a few against every1s liberty to choose if it is appopiate for him/her to be expose to cruelty or black humor alike, if you are 18 years old in my country you are mentally competent to choose whats best for you...a lot of moms with nothing else to do..
Tom's has become a breeding ground for intolerance for other countries apparently...
cruel = no Russian?
or
cruel = shoot the ducks?
I knew they were progressive! I've heard of no other country say: "Kids... get your consoles modded and if you haven't heard of utorrent...". Now were did I put that Bodycount LP?
Not surprising
We're talking about a country that made it illegal to flush a goldfish down the toilet without killing them "humanely" first.
That and other crazy laws like this
http://planetsave.com/blog/2008/10 [...] of-plants/
as well as obligatory classes before you can get a dog.
I still think they should stick to making the awesome Swiss cheese! Obviously they have no idea about computer games...
LOL I at first thought the picture meant nudity was ok for ages 3 and up and gambling was ok for ages 18 and up
Yeah I was really confused at first too.
Not surprisingWe're talking about a country that made it illegal to flush a goldfish down the toilet without killing them "humanely" first.That and other crazy laws like thishttp://planetsave.com/blog/2008/10 [...] of-plants/as well as obligatory classes before you can get a dog.
obligatory classes for owning a dog makes a lot of sense. looking at all the things we do to human babies, we can at least rest assure the dogs are treated humanely.
As we all know, shining examples of good government begin with censorship. What's next, Google will have to pull out of Switzerland?
Obviously Switzerland is free to enact any laws it pleases but I don't think violent video games are to blame for anything. How many murders were inspired by video games? Probably less than were inspired by religion, greed, bigotry, etc.
I guess it's up to the Swiss to decide what level of government interference they're willing to tolerate.
"any game that "requires cruel acts of violence against humans and humanlike creatures for in-game success" will be banned, as per the original motion."
So Duke Nukem is still golden then?
Damnit, I was going to move to Switzerland because of the Health Care bill...
Meh, you can still come to Canada.
...as well as obligatory classes before you can get a dog.
Hmm... animal shelters put down a ridiculous amount of dogs every year in the US, maybe something like that would not be a bad thing.
Consider it an interesting experiment.
In my country Venezuela, on 3rd March, has apeared a law that bans any video game that contents, any kind of weapon or something like that, used in any military force of any country, (a politic desition only, based on nothing, thay say that the games make people violent, jajaj, the violence its generated of other causes, not the games) that says nobody can even if they are an adult cant get for example modern warfare 2 legally, jajaja, ah the black market its the only winner here.
They are neutral...
not surprising for Switzerland... didn't they motor racing permanently just because there was some crash in a race that wasn't even in their country? If they could, I'm sure they'd ban cars all together...
I assume the mountains of research and statistics regarding the unacceptable level of violence in Switzerland and its proven link to video games is forthcoming?
Video games are the pollies latest scapegoat in the crackdown on violent youths. Funny thing is... If someone is occupied playing video games they are going to have less time to be at the mall causing trouble. They can't figure out that ever since they banned the cane in school youths are literally getting away with murder.
cruel = no Russian?orcruel = shoot the ducks?
"against humans and humanlike creatures!" apparently they have something against killing zombies, but they have nothing against animal cruelty.
weren't they just discussing banning the construction of middle-east like buildings over there? What's next?
Doesn't matter. With their anti car laws and the fiasco with RBS I can't imagine anyone willing to live there anyway. A pity for the beautiful scenery being inhospitable because of politics though.
obligatory classes for owning a dog makes a lot of sense. looking at all the things we do to human babies, we can at least rest assure the dogs are treated humanely.
I would so love to have this all over the Europe. I saw countless irresponsible a**holes getting a dangerous dog (Pitbull, Rotweiler, Dobermann etc.) and completely failing to train it (and leaving it in a small flat while at work), making it dangerous and uncomfortable for all other people living around them.
Do they have rampant crime over there or something? I feel that I am out of the loop.
I've always had a certain fondness for European countries, but damn, sometimes you got to wonder at some of the things they in do.
I'm Swiss and I'm against this ban, but this ban is still being discussed and not yet accepted (I hope it won't be!).
I hope to see a news when this ban will be accepted/rejected more than before the decision is made.
I don't see the link between neutrality and this ban (maybe a neutral country should ban all games that favors a country instead of another in virtual wars? ;p)
Idk where djcoolmasterx gets its intel, but that seems wrong to me. Every country has some strange laws (not hard to find some website about that). I think we are a bit extreme in animal protection, but I can receive a fellatio without risking jail.
The obligatory classes for owning a dangerous dog have been made because of the numerous deaths of children caused by owners that couldn't master their dog (this in not a country law but is only applied in certain regions).
Our cheese and watches are awesome and until 2006 (didn't search further) Switzerland was the country with more PC per 100 population (tied with Sweden with 10% more than US), following UN stats.
Since 2007 we don't have the motor sports ban anymore (but even with that we had rallies). And we haven't any sort of car ban.
We don't have high crimes rate here! (e.g. Murders (per capita) is 1/4 of the US one)