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Euro Parliament Wants "Red Button" For Shutting Down Games

GamePolitics writes "The European Parliament has actually requested that red, panic-style buttons be set up for use by parents whose children play online games. The buttons would allow the parents to quickly shut the game down should something inappropriate occur. Wouldn't the old-school on-off switch work just as well?" To be fair, the report isn't entirely crazy; it says games "can also be used for educational and medical purposes," and acknowledges that the "presence of violence in video games does not automatically lead to violent behaviour."

22 of 167 comments (clear)

  1. Let's teach kids to make hardware mods early by Mrs.+Grundy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Seriously.

    1. phillips head screwdriver (to open case)
    2. wire cutter (to cut leads to switch)
    3. wire nut (to short circuit around switch)
    4. profit?

    The really clever kids will find a way to install a software patch that makes any game say "Show us your tits!" every time the button is pressed.

    When I was a kid, my parents had a 'red button' called a leather belt. It was much harder to hack.

    1. Re:Let's teach kids to make hardware mods early by aerthling · · Score: 5, Funny

      When I was a kid, my parents had a 'red button' called a leather belt. It was much harder to hack.

      Harder to hack, my arse! When this happened to me, I used to modify the client (my bottom) by increasing the resistance (extra underpants) and return a spoofed result to the server.

    2. Re:Let's teach kids to make hardware mods early by Faylone · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yep, except it didn't take him a whole half an hour.

    3. Re:Let's teach kids to make hardware mods early by PrescriptionWarning · · Score: 2, Funny

      Thats nothing, when I was young we had to pick our paddle from a bundle of thorny bushes, then after the beating on our bare bums we had to pour lemon juice and hot sauce over the sores, and then they would kill us. And that's if we were lucky!

    4. Re:Let's teach kids to make hardware mods early by oneTheory · · Score: 2, Funny

      Mine was more of an ACK. ACK!!

  2. What About alt-F4 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    what about good old alt-f4???

    Could I sell RED USB ALT-F4 buttons for parents?

  3. Games are supposed to be educational by jsse · · Score: 5, Funny

    To be fair, the report isn't entirely crazy; it says games "can also be used for educational and medical purposes,"

    I do agree that sex and violent games are meant to be educational.

    Like last time I caught my cousin attempt to flirt with a CG girl in hope to have cyber sex. I pressed the magic red-button and gave him a few bucks, told him to go out and do a real girls like a real man.

    The other time I caught him shooting polygonal guys on streets with lots of bullets and first-aid boxes scattering around. Needless to say, I pressed the magic red-button again and gave him a shotgun, told him to hit the street and shoot real people like a real man.

    1. Re:Games are supposed to be educational by KDR_11k · · Score: 2, Funny

      So that's what girls buy My Little Pony games for?

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    2. Re:Games are supposed to be educational by ckaminski · · Score: 2, Funny

      Remember this adage: girls love the feeling of power between their legs.

  4. More trouble than its worth by AnotherAnonymousUser · · Score: 2, Funny

    On most computers, you have to hold down the power button to shut down the system, giving five unfiltered seconds of access to lewd material, derogatory language, and corrupting influences whilst you awkwardly try to cover the monitor with your body.

  5. Re:Red Button Doesn't Seem To Be Literal by interkin3tic · · Score: 2, Funny

    Those of us who are worried about our kids' online gaming, and who also happen to be colorblind, are glad to hear it.

  6. Here is your button by KlaymenDK · · Score: 3, Funny

    For online pc games, a solution exists.

  7. Re:Sounds a bit useless by sakdoctor · · Score: 3, Funny

    This reminds me of when I was playing Red alert 1 with my cousin, when we were teens.

    His mum got pissed off and hit the power switch.

    Then the UPS kicked in. It really lessened the impact she was going for.

  8. The other button by 3.14159265 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Europeans also would like a "Red Button" for shutting down Parliament. Wishful thinking.

    1. Re:The other button by What+the+Frag · · Score: 2, Funny

      A broken one which is stuck in the pressed state would be fine also.

  9. Re:Universal Remote by Weedlekin · · Score: 5, Funny

    "They could employ the same system that the Xbox employs. Add an IR receiver."

    A lot of people with an XBox 360 don't even have to go that far, because Microsoft have once again proved that they're ahead of curve, and have already equipped their system with a special facility that displays a red circle on the screen to indicate that all gaming has been suspended for an indefinite period. This lock-out mechanism so secure that the only way to resume gaming is by sending the machine back to Microsoft, where a specially trained technician will the reset the cunningly hidden Naughty Person flag, and then send it back after a suitable period has elapsed to teach people that being naughty has consequences.

    --
    I'm not going to change your sheets again, Mr. Hastings.
  10. Bender got it right this time... by Durinthal · · Score: 4, Funny

    Have you ever tried simply turning off the TV, sitting down with your children, and hitting them?

  11. Re:Sounds a bit useless by powerlord · · Score: 2, Funny

    Unless she hit the power switch on the "power strip" and not the computer, I'm not sure why the UPS would kick in.

    This of course points the way toward the already installed "red button" on most computers:

    - The power button on the computer.
    - The power button on the power-strip (unless there is a UPS :) ).
    - The power button on the monitor (less effective, since the speakers will keep blaring).

    --
    This space for rent. All reasonable inquiries will be entertained at proprietors discretion.
  12. Re:Universal Remote by hab136 · · Score: 3, Funny

    If they want a quick "OMG boobs!" button then they just need a universal remote. Program it to the XBox's IR "Off" command and bam! Problem solved.

    How does turning off the machine get me instant boobs? I think you have that backwards!

  13. Re:No IR needed to toggle power switch by oneTheory · · Score: 2, Funny

    I agree. You should absolutely let your kids do whatever they want without consequences. That teaches them a lot about the real world because as we all know in the real world you can do whatever you want without consequences.

  14. Re:PC Games? by BattleApple · · Score: 2, Funny

    Then the whole family can sit and watch a frozen screen full of boobs for 5 minutes while windows grinds away doing who-knows-what before shutting down.

  15. Re:Universal Remote by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    How does turning off the machine get me instant boobs? I think you have that backwards!

    Indeed, the other way around is what some would call a Priority Interrupt.

    --
    Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?