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UK Government Ads Link Games With "Early Death"

Posted by Soulskill on from the maybe-if-you-try-to-eat-them dept.

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.'"

6 of 232 comments (clear)

  1. Fine, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A sedentary lifestyle can be linked to obesity, which in turn *can* be linked to death and illness. The summary is a little too... angry....

    Still, it's partially correct. Instead of arguing that "GAMES ARE BAD AAAWR", the advert could have simply advocated a balanced lifestyle. There's nothing inherently bad about gaming, so long as you remember to exercise. Indeed, some games and game systems (Wii?) can even *encourage* exercise.

  2. Re:c'mon, too easy by narcberry · · Score: 5, Funny

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

    --
    Modding me -1 troll doesn't make me wrong.
  3. Let's play the statistics game. by palegray.net · · Score: 5, Funny

    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...

    --
    512 MB RAM, 20 GB disk, 200 GB transfer, five datacenters. $19.95/month.
  4. Bullocks. by Snufu · · Score: 5, Funny

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

  5. I've got a bone to pick with them over this by kheldan · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So they're condemning kids sitting around indoors playing video games all the time instead of going outside, running around, and being kids. Fine, I can deal with that. What I can't deal with, is that the UK government has become such a nanny-state that they keep preventing and even outlawing all sorts of activities "because someone might get hurt". So I ask you all: What the fuck are the kids supposed to do??!?
    MEMO TO UK GOVERNMENT: Make up your damned minds, do you want kids to go out and play or DON'T YOU??!?

    --
    Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
  6. Books are just as bad by Shin-LaC · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Indeed, singling out games like the ad does only risks getting the wrong message across ("games are bad" instead of "a sedentary lifestyle is bad"). They should balance it out by making an ad showing a girl reading a book under the same "Risk an early DEATH, just do nothing" caption.