When last we heard from the Girl Scouts in relation to video game issues, they were standing behind California's Leland Yee following passage of the state's 2005 video game law.
But, as reported by the Woodbury Bulletin, a Minnesota Girl Scout has a much different view on video game regulation. Colleen Stone, who created a 10-minute video on game content issues, told the newspaper:
I guess it all started when Hillary Clinton started getting public about video games and video game violence. It was just a blatant disregard for first amendment rights…That was a slippery slope that would easily have transferred to books and movies and newspapers, and that really disturbed me.
In response, Colleen developed a seminar to educate parents on game content and ratings. She invited the manager of a local GameStop as well as a rep from the Minnesota-based National Institute on Media & Family. The seminar was filmed and makes up a good chunk of her video. 250 copies have been distributed to various organizations.
Colleen, who will attend Johns Hopkins University in the fall and is considering a career in video game design, added:
I was worried this was just a pet peeve of mine, but deep down, it’s a constitutional issue. Some games can be so beautiful — some of the games I put on, my mom will just stop and stare… That’s why I think I did this. Video games are not evil.
Comments
I actually found that video excellent on content... editing was awful... but, that's not important...
The content and messages were very clear and it's absolutely wonderful to hear an old man say throwing out the tv doesn't work and the best idea is to engage with youth and check out what they're viewing for yourself.
However, it cut out after 6 minutes... I'm just assuming the girl doesn't do a u-turn and have a go at games at the end :p.
Yeah, the video wont play all the way through for me either.
We really need to let the ESA, ESRB and Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo know that if unrated movies can come out then some should unrated games. She tells how the big retail companies will not sell unrated games. But those companies have NO problem with unrated movies. >:(
"It may be appropriate to approach M games on a game by game basis"
Smart advice.
-- If your wiimote goes snicker-snack, check your wrist-strap...
"The ESRB is not perfect, and so ratings are more a guideline than rules."
Yeah, the video cut out for me too, right as the NIMF guy was explaining why you can't expect someone to play a game all the way through to know it's content, comparing it to how you can make it through a movie in 2 1/2 hours...
EDIT: Er, actually I don't know if he's saying that. It sounds like he's about to say "but games can take dozens to hundreds of hours to complete", but maybe I'm wishful thinking here... The tone of his speaking makes it sound like he's about to question the logic of asking the raters to play every second of an entire game. Then again, he may be just using that for parents instead, and expect the ESRB to play all the content so parents don't have to...
I'll try downloading the video, play it locally instead...
EDIT: Nope, doesn't help. It still cuts out around the 6:10 mark...
-- If your wiimote goes snicker-snack, check your wrist-strap...
Just for that, I'm buying at least three boxes of Thin Mint cookies this year. Gotta support the Girl Scouts if they're turning out smart young women like this one.
--- "Life's short and hard, like a body building elf." -- The Bloodhound Gang
Great video, now if only more people could see it.
@Doctor Proctor:
I would do the same thing if I didn't have any allergies to just about everything but eggs, oy. I would do just as Strong Bad would do: Buy the scout a cold one.
If anything, I think the important lesson of all of this is that parental responsibility is what is required, not legislation and witch hunts. Most intelligent people realize that crap that Jack and Hillary have been spouting is out-right wrong, but others see a talking head on TV, and blindly accept what they say; just like the telescreens in 1984. Time to not be sheep people.
Good video, though two mistakes I'd like to point out:
1) It's been documented that movie raters can determine a movie's rating within 15 minutes to a half hour and then just keep tapping on extra notes for the remaining duration of the movie (See: This Film Is Not Yet Rated)
2) Video Games can be released under Rating Pending and have been. They will be sold by stores. The labels are then replaced at later date by the publisher / manufacturer and shipped accordingly. I have had plenty of games over the years which feature an RP on the box as opposed to a specific rating.
Aside from that, a decent fair explanation, though the video failed to play past the 6 minute mark for me...
----
Papa Midnight
http://www.otakutimes.com
http://www.thesupersoldiers.com
Papa what games were released rating pending???
Always good to have another intelligent voice in our court. Johns Hopkins -- not too shabby.
I managed to download the video directly (page source for the win!), and it seems like the video itself is corrupted after that point, rather than a transmission problem.
---- There is a limit for both politicians against video games, and video games against politicians. http://www.goteamretard.com
why didn't she put this on youtube?
If you can put the Video on YouTube, then more people will be able to access it more easily.
Also well done for the girl scouts.
Each of us has a voice in this world and the internet is the only way to make our voice loud and clear,
I also think that the Parent power website is great for parents who may not understand many things about Videogames....
Way more better than the news or politicians who have been pushing so much negative and sensationalist information onto them.
I do feel that the best way to let parents become a bit more better aware of Videogames is by just talking to someone who knows and has played many Videogames.
Thank you all for your comments and input.
I did not know that my video file was corrupted- I put it on youtube (my username is GS1420) and the video is on the website and has been fixed.
Thank you so much for your interest
Colleen Stone
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