UK Government Ads Link Games With "Early Death"

An anonymous reader writes "The UK government, backed by a bunch of charities that raise funds for research into cancer, heart disease and diabetes, has launched an advertising campaign that links the 'inactive' or passive gaming lifestyle with death and illness. It's part of a bigger 'Change4Life' campaign that has also linked playing games with making children obese. The new ads show a young child playing a PlayStation game, with the caption 'Risk an early DEATH, just do nothing.' To say this has annoyed the UK games industry would be a grave understatement. Trade association ELSPA has already called an urgent meeting with authorities to have the ads pulled, and trade magazine MCV has complained to the country's Advertising Standards Authority as well. As MCV Associate Editor Tim Ingham says in an impassioned opinion piece, 'Change4Life's advertising campaign makes a mockery of everything the industry has achieved in the last decade.'"

Comments

Re:c'mon, too easy

[narcberry]

Your first post may be your last if you play vgs.

Let's play the statistics game.

[palegray.net]

I woke up this morning and brushed my teeth. Simultaneously, three people were killed in an auto accident five miles from my house.

I'm sure the police will be here any time now...

Re:Let's play the statistics game.

[fotoguzzi]

That's like right as the Andrea Doria collided with the Stockholm (from memory), a lady flicked on a light switch. She ran up on deck in panic, convinced that she had caused the problem.

Re:Let's play the statistics game.

[drewvr6]

Let that be a lesson to you not to brush your teeth while you drive!

Bullocks.

[Snufu]

I've been playing video games all my life and I'm as healt

Re:Statistics

[nicobigsby]

This is exactly like cake. I've been saying it for years. Everybody who eats cake dies. Cake must be stopped before everybody dies.

Re:So did I miss something?

[Anonymous Coward]

... you will die if you play video games.

Really? you will die if you play video games?

Somehow I suspect that's true...

Re:causation is not correlation

[icannotthinkofaname]

ALL THINGS IN MODERATION.

I take things in moderation in moderation.

Does that count?

politicians

[speedtux]

If computer gaming is dangerous, just imagine how dangerous the life of a politician must be: sitting around all day in meetings, eating bad food, often smoking, etc.

I think we need to outlaw politics and throw into jail anybody who tries to spread it.

Re:Causationisnotcorrelation Tags Must Die

[DrMrLordX]

IN SOVIET RUSSIA, karma points rev up YOU!

. . . jokes wear out YOU!

. . . summaries don't read YOU!

Seriously, humor is subjective. Some of us adore repeated memes and tired, stale attempts at nonsense. Don't lump us in with people who refuse to articles linked in the summary.

Re:Fine, but...

[ottothecow]

anyone else read "Change4Life" and immediately want to play Left4Dead?

Actually it's demonstrable

[Full Metal Jackass]

I tried it. I started a game of Killzone 2, I did nothing and I died.

What about pubs?

[Coppit]

I would have loved them to expand their sedentary lifestyle witch hunt to include beer drinking. Not only does it involve little exercise, you actually consume a narcotic while you're at it. Pubs lead to EARLY DEATH!!!!1!!!!