Network now...NEWS
Australia To Block Online Access To Mature Titles
The Australian government intends to block internet access to sites hosting and selling games not rated MA15+ or below.
MA15+ is the highest content classification bracket for videogames in Australia, even though films can carry an R18 certificate. To date the country’s game classification system has only applied to physical retail, but it's now been confirmed that Australia's internet filtering will be extended to downloadable titles, web games and websites which sell physical copies of games that don’t meet the MA15+ rating, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
A spokesperson for senator Stephen Conroy, Australia’s minister for broadband, said the filtering could also block "the importation of physical copies of computer games sold over the internet which have been classified Refused Classification."
Ron Curry, the chief executive of the the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia, said the move highlighted the "unacceptable situation" of not having an R18+ classification for games.
"It's through the introduction of an R18+ classification that adults will have access to age appropriate material and parents will have the full tool kit to understand the suitability of content for their children," he said.
Contact Us / About Us / Advertise With Us / BeltwayBlips / TechBlips / MassiveBlips / GamerBlips / FAQ
Subscribe To Edge Magazine / Corrections / Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court 30 Monmouth Street Bath, UK BA1 2BW
England and Wales company registration number 2008885
Subscribe To Edge Magazine / Corrections / Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court 30 Monmouth Street Bath, UK BA1 2BW
England and Wales company registration number 2008885
Well the first thing is this isn't a statement from the senator himself so I'm going to hope this is a false report. But knowing Stephen Conroy's assault on the internet and his aparrent disregard for my rights as an adult resident of Australia, I would not put it past him.
The ratings situation however is not his portfolio. He is the minister for communications, and therefore in charge of ACMA, the authority that is responsible for communications and media (telecomunications and broadcasts etc). What he wants to do is restrict the use of the internet to obtain stuff that is technically illegal in Australia (anything over MA15+).
What they would effectively do is move the censor role to ACMA which would be combing the net for sites that are selling these "banned" games and black listing them, which would include ebay, EB and amazon. Something they would be doing behind the scenes with very little oversight because the ACMA black list is secret. Oh wait the list has already been leaked.
I reckon this would have a negative effect for Conroy, basically just pissing people off and gettting them off their fat arses and into action.
geez stephen conroy is an idiot.
This has absolutely nothing to do with video games and everything to do with out of control governments and the global erosion of traditional Western freedoms and values. Blocking access to game retail sites will simply be one of many serious encroachments made upon the people of Australia's inalienable human rights to freedom or expression and association.
It's absolutely disgusting and completely indefensible and everyone involved needs to be swiftly removed from office and tried for egregious rights violations, preferably, before they do even further damage.
That PM is fluent in Mandarin all too well.
This move really does highlight just how daft the situation in Australia is. They really do need to have an 18 certificate, it's absolutely barmy that they don't.
Australia's game laws are such a joke. Not only are the ratings laws a legal mandate, they're doing their best to simply get rid of games that are violent. And I thought outdoorsmen were tough.