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Introduction to Ethics & Law in Games

9th November 2009

Aims

Students should be able to differentiate between acceptability and inappropriation in games and gaming

Aims and Objectives

Objectives•All students will be able to discuss 3 aspects of media and video games•Most students will be able to identify all regulating bodies for video games•Some students will be able to identify 2 positive or negative ethics in media (video games)

Part II: Law

Vescere bracis meis

What Is Law?

?

law1  /lɔ/–noun 1. the principles and regulations established in a community by some authority and applicable to its people, whether in the form of legislation or of custom and policies recognized and enforced by judicial decision. 2. any written or positive rule or collection of rules prescribed under the authority of the state or nation, as by the people in its constitution. Compare bylaw, statute law. 3. the controlling influence of such rules; the condition of society brought about by their observance: maintaining law and order. 4. a system or collection of such rules. 5. the department of knowledge concerned with these rules; jurisprudence: to study law. 6. the body of such rules concerned with a particular subject or derived from a particular source: commercial law. 7. an act of the supreme legislative body of a state or nation, as distinguished from the constitution. 8. the principles applied in the courts of common law, as distinguished from equity. 9. the profession that deals with law and legal procedure: to practice law. 10. legal action; litigation: to go to law. 11. a person, group, or agency acting officially to enforce the law: The law arrived at the scene soon after the alarm went off. 12. any rule or injunction that must be obeyed: Having a nourishing breakfast was an absolute law in our household. 13. a rule or principle of proper conduct sanctioned by conscience, concepts of natural justice, or the will of a deity: a moral law. 14. a rule or manner of behavior that is instinctive or spontaneous: the law of self-preservation. 15. (in philosophy, science, etc.) a. a statement of a relation or sequence of phenomena invariable under the same conditions. b. a mathematical rule. 16. a principle based on the predictable consequences of an act, condition, etc.: the law of supply and demand. 17. a rule, principle, or convention regarded as governing the structure or the relationship of an element in the structure of something, as of a language or work of art: the laws of playwriting; the laws of grammar. 18. a commandment or a revelation from God. 19. (sometimes initial capital letter) a divinely appointed order or system. 20. the Law. Law of Moses. 21. the preceptive part of the Bible, esp. of the New Testament, in contradistinction to its promises: the law of Christ. 22. British Sports. an allowance of time or distance given a quarry or competitor in a race, as the head start given a fox before the hounds are set after it.

–verb (used with object) 23. Chiefly Dialect. to sue or prosecute. 24. British. (formerly) to expeditate (an animal).

—Idioms25. be a law to or unto oneself, to follow one's own inclinations, rules of behavior, etc.; act independently or unconventionally, esp. without regard for established mores. 26. lay down the law, a. to state one's views authoritatively. b. to give a command in an imperious manner: The manager laid down the law to the workers. 27. take the law into one's own hands, to administer justice as one sees fit without recourse to the usual law enforcement or legal processes: The townspeople took the law into their own hands before the sheriff took action.

4. a system or collection of such rules.

law1  /lɔ/

Who Cares About Law?

Everyone should...

Why??

Poor ELSPA

Activity

What legal issues could come through the ELSPA collective?

I can think of at least 5 issues.... Can you?

ELSPA’s Battles

Source: www.elspa.com / www.google.co.uk

ELSPA considers legal action against R4 cards

Legal loophole won't delay rollout of PEGI ratings

BBFC may sue over ELSPA traffic light symbols

Let’s Talk About

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/14/games.law

In June 2007, BBFC (pre-PEGI) refused to give Manhunt 2 a rating for the game. It was rejected by BBFC on the grounds of "sustained and cumulative casual sadism".After a high court ruling the game was given an 18 rating in 2008, following support from VAC (Video Appeals Committee) the video censorship arbitration service.Rockstar’s legal team suggested that “that the entire censorship system needed to be rethought to take account of the video games industry.” He said, “the system works in films, but the gameplaying experience is different.”

Can you tell me why or how Rockstar won?

The Notorious MH2

The Notorious MH2

In the game, players take the role of a patient who escapes from an asylum

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/14/games.law

Right?

Wrong!

Poor Rockstar

PS2: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 17.33 millionGrand Theft Auto: Vice City – 9.21 million approximately: 8.2 million in US, 410,293 in Japan, 600,000 in UKGrand Theft Auto III – 7.509 million approximately: 6.55 million in US, 358,917 in Japan, 600,000 in UK

Xbox: Grand Theft Auto Double Pack – 1.701 million approximately: 1.59 million in US, 100,000 in UK, 10,515 in Japan

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – 1.46 million approximately: 1.26 million in US, 200,000 in UK

Xbox 360: Grand Theft Auto IV – 4.074 million approximately: 3.29 million in US, 750,000 in UK, 34,000 in Japan

PS3: Grand Theft Auto IV – 2.659 million approximately: 1.89 million in US, 169,000 in Japan, 600,000 in UK

Not Too Shabby

Top 10 Banned Games

Activity: As you watch the list unfold – take on board why these games have been banned. You might be surprised....

Source: http://www.gamesradar.com/ps3/playstation-3/news/top-10-banned-videogames/a-20070619165925718061/g-20060314115917309058 2007

10. Bulletproof – Australia

WTF?• Foul language• Drug references• Excessive violence• Glamorisation of violence and gangs

9. Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines – Germany

WTF?• Nazism exploitation• Use of the Swastika• Excessive violence

8. Pokémon – Saudi Arabia

WTF?• Idolatry• Use of the Star of David

WTF?• Use of underage Cheerleader

7. The Guy Game – United States

WTF?• Fictional representation of war

6. Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction – South Korea

5. Command & Conquer: Generals – China

WTF?• Offence to national history• Offence to Chinese army• Representation of historical

monument destruction

4. Tom Clancy’s GRAW 2 – Mexico

WTF?• Offence to Chihuahua and people

3. Reservoir Dogs – New Zealand

WTF?• Promotion of extreme violence

2. Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure –

Australia

WTF?• Promotion of illegal acts (graffitism)

1. Postal 2 – New Zealand, Australia, Sweden, Germany, Brazil, United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Ireland, China, Japan

WTF?• Homophobia• Racism• Police brutality• Extreme scenes of brutality &

slaughter• Illegal depiction of violence• Etc, etc

Discussion

Fair? Who is impacted by violence, race hate, sexism and all of the other stuff that we connect with censure.Why? Why would we or do we ban games?

Psst - Censure: an official reprimand, as by a legislative body of one of its members.

Conclusion

• Games are for gamers, but should be for everyone• Games are spotlighted by EVERY government• Games influence and attract

Games are YOUR responsibility – produce something that you will ALWAYS be proud of

Homework

• Pick a country, any country• Explore banned or censored games• Blog it!

I’ll be reading your results with great interest!