Aussie foes of that fine nation's ridiculous game censorship policies have been frustrated. One man — South Australia Attorney General Mark Atkinson — has managed to block the creation of an 18+ game rating, thus managing to block publication of games deemed too violent, sexual, or otherwise adult to fit into other classifications. Atkinson assures Aussies that a little loss of freedom for the sake of the chiiiiildruun is a good thing:

Some of your readers may believe that the present system restricts adult liberty. It certainly does restrict choice to a small degree, but that is the price of keeping this material from children and vulnerable adults. In my view, the small sacrifice is worth it.

Certain games cannot be permitted at all, you see, because even if an adult buys them, the little shits will just boot them up and play them when the adults are all of drinking or working or whatever:

In cinemas, the age of moviegoers can be regulated, and at the video store people must provide ID to hire R18+ videos. Once electronic games are in the home, access to them cannot be policed and the games are easily accessible to children. These days, older children (18-30) are often living in the family home with younger children (under 18). This means games belonging to older children or parents can easily make their way into the hands of those under 18.

And if that happens, children will be exposed to violence and sex. And the next thing you know you'll have a nation of convicts, or something.

Anyway, this attitude enraged Australian gamers, as it should. Gamers pondered. How could they express their demand for freedom and their contempt for government regulation of content, yet simultaneously convey that they are serious, reliable, sober individuals, not violent Grand-Theft-Auto-twisted freaks, and thus win the public over to their side?

But of course! A cosplay march on the government!

Fortunately somebody wised up. Because, you know, when Joe Citizen sees a 350 pound guy dressed up like Lara Croft, he's not thinking "I must vindicate this person's free speech rights."

On the other hand . . . that gives me an idea. Maybe the cosplay people were just using the wrong spin . . .

Last 5 posts by Ken

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