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Switzerland Pursues Violent Games Ban

Posted by timothy on from the brutal-crackdown-on-violence dept.

BanjoTed writes "We hear lots about the issues facing violent games in Australia, but the anti-games bandwagon is gathering pace closer to home — in Switzerland, to be precise. The Swiss government is gearing up to consider a total ban on mature games in the country."

10 of 276 comments (clear)

  1. I'm Australian you instensitive clod!!! by syousef · · Score: 5, Funny

    This isn't closer to home for me:P~~~~

    --
    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
  2. I can understand banning games by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Some games are really bad, whether it be egregious content or age-inappropriate content.

    But there's no need to get violent about it. A normal rational games ban would work just as well as a violent games ban.

    1. Re:I can understand banning games by Pieroxy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Wouldn't it be easier to ban children directly?

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      Write boring code, not shiny code!
  3. Slipperly slope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If as an adult you let the government treat you like a child, remember what happened to you as a child when you "said something mommy and daddy didn't like".

    1. Re:Slipperly slope by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

      remember what happened to you as a child when you "said something mommy and daddy didn't like

      All those years of expensive therapy for naught...

      Thanks, asshole.

    2. Re:Slipperly slope by HungryHobo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You're changing the goalposts.

      No I would not "support" any of those games.

      I would however not oppose them since they do nobody an harm of any kind.

      Freedom of speech is a bitch isn't it.

      I don't like rape games so I don't buy them.
      if I had children I'd discourage them from playing rape games.(hell I'd outright stop them)
      I support minimum ages for purchasing them.

      But there's zero reason to ban any of those.

  4. Part of a general pattern by JoshuaZ · · Score: 5, Informative

    Switzerland has very little regard for free speech. Very little regard for things that are unpopular or disliked and has an aging, reactionary voter base. Frankly, I got far more worked up over the ban on minarets that they enacted last year. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/30/world/europe/30swiss.html That was a much more serious violation of basic rights. This? This is small potatoes.

    1. Re:Part of a general pattern by golden+age+villain · · Score: 5, Informative

      Switzerland has very little regard for free speech. Very little regard for things that are unpopular or disliked and has an aging, reactionary voter base.

      Aaaaah Switzerland, this famous dictatorship... And you are supporting these claims how? Because I happen to live in that country but it doesn't seem to be the country you are describing. Free speech? Very little regard for things that are unpopular or disliked? What the hell are you talking about exactly? Do you have examples that make Switzerland stand out of the crowd of European countries? Agreed, the ban on minarets is not exactly the vote we can be most proud of. I would just like to point to the fact that Switzerland is no different from other European countries in that regard as was demonstrated by numerous polls in Europe following this particularly infamous vote. Also on votes asking whether or not to put a cap on immigration, the Swiss people have constantly voted no (there was several votes on this question since the 70s) and we have also accepted to embrace bilateral agreements with the EU and extend those agreements to the new EU members from Eastern Europe so I don't really see more reactionary voters than in any other western country. The only difference is probably that pretty much everything goes into a public vote and is hence very visible.

    2. Re:Part of a general pattern by Rakishi · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Pure democracy is called "tyranny of the majority" for a reason.

  5. on positive side by jarkus4 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Switzerland has more direct democracy than most countries. Even if the legislation passes parliament, if someone gathers 50k signatures against some law (in 100 days), he can cause national vote on this matter. In this vote all citizens decide whether the law should stay or be rejected. So to get rid of it they just need to convince normal people (and not politicians) that this is a bad idea.