Brazil bans popular video games seen to incite violence

**Maddux** · 19th January 2008, 12:39 PM

RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) — Brazil this week imposed a ban on popular role-playing computer games "Counter-Strike" and "EverQuest," claiming they incited violence and were "harmful to consumers' health."

The federal prohibition on the sale of the games was being applied across the country, the official consumer protection agency in the central state of Goias said on its website Thursday.

Both games allow players, typically teenage boys, to connect online to fantasy worlds where they interact with other players, form groups and carry out joint missions usually involving combat.

"Counter-Strike," a first-person-view shoot-'em-upper based on the motor powering the popular "Half-Life" game, requires participants to choose a role as either a masked terrorist or an anti-terrorist officer before going forth with an ever-sophisticated array of weapons.

An adapted version in Brazil permitted players to take on the perspective of either a police officer or a narcotrafficker in Rio de Janeiro's infamously crime-ridden slums.

"EverQuest" is a swords-and-spells game in the mold of "Lord of the Rings" in which human or elvish or other imaginary characters go on joint adventures to gain treasure and increase their avatar's abilities.

Both began in 1999 and have since developed huge worldwide followings.

Some psychologists have described them as addictive as drugs. A few players have turned professional, earning money from powerful characters they sell, or from the auction of hard-to-win virtual items.

The ban was ordered in October 2007 by a Brazilian federal court, but was not immediately implemented.

The judge, Carlos Alberto Simoes, ruled that the games encouraged "the subversion of public order, were an attack against the democratic state and the law and against public security."

dhekke · 19th January 2008, 11:08 PM

Things like these make me ashamed of living here

Achilles · 19th January 2008, 11:31 PM

I hate seeing stuff like this.

Kiminality · 19th January 2008, 11:34 PM

On a peripherally related note; some time last year, OGPLanet issued a warning, directed at all Brazilian players of Albatross18.
(Here).
They later blocked Brazilian IPs from creating accounts (though I can't find a link for that).

**Silverfoot** · 20th January 2008, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Social issues

Main article: Social issues in Brazil

Located between some of the richest areas of Rio de Janeiro, the Rocinha favela is testimony to high economic inequality within Brazil.

Brazil has been unable to reflect its recent economic achievements into social development. Poverty, urban violence, growing social security debts, inefficient public services, and the low value of the minimum wage are some of the main social issues that currently challenge the Brazilian government. The rate of poverty is in part attributed to the country's economic inequality. Brazil ranks among the world's highest nations in the Gini coefficient index of inequality assessment. According to Fundação Getúlio Vargas, in 2006 the rate of people living below the poverty line based on labour income was of 19.31% of the population[118] — a 33% reduction considering the previous three years.[119]

Poverty in Brazil is most visually represented by the various favelas, slums in the country's metropolitan areas and remote upcountry regions that suffer with economic underdevelopment and below-par standards of living. There are also great differences in wealth and welfare between regions. While the Northeast region has the worst economic indicators nationwide, many cities in the South and Southeast enjoy First World socioeconomic standards,[120] with roughly 23.8 homicides per 100,000 residents.[121] The level of violence in some large urban centers is comparable to that of a war zone.[122][123] Analysts generally suggest the alarming social inequality as the major reason behind this problem. Muggings, robberies, kidnappings[124] and gang violence[125] are common in the largest cities. Police brutality and corruption are widespread.[126][127] Innefficient public services,[128][129][130] especially those related to security, education and health, severely affect quality of life. Minimum wages fail in fulfilling the constitutional requirements set in article 7, IV, regarding living standards. Brazil currently ranks 70th in the Human Development Index list, with a high HDI (0,800). The social security system is considered unreliable and has been historically submerged in large debts and graft, which have been steadily increasing along the 1990s.[131]

Yep video games are definatly the problem here.

Brom · 20th January 2008, 01:04 AM

Video games are a very recent form of entertainment when compared with other mainstream or "accepted" types of entertainment (golf, going to the movies, etc.). Unfortunately that makes it a popular scapegoat for those who know nothing about it. Everything from Rock'n'roll to D&D has been blamed for corrupting and misleading youth all over the world, when that's simply not the true heart of the matter. Games are here to stay whether the big-shots like it or not. Twenty years from now they will be pointing their accusatory fingers at the next newest form of entertainment.

Taking personal responsibility for your own morality and ethics is apparently too difficult for some, thus they blame an outside source.

Achilles · 20th January 2008, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brom

Video games are a very recent form of entertainment when compared with other mainstream or "accepted" types of entertainment (golf, going to the movies, etc.). Unfortunately that makes it a popular scapegoat for those who know nothing about it. Everything from Rock'n'roll to D&D has been blamed for corrupting and misleading youth all over the world, when that's simply not the true heart of the matter. Games are here to stay whether the big-shots like it or not. Twenty years from now they will be pointing their accusatory fingers at the next newest form of entertainment.

Taking personal responsibility for your own morality and ethics is apparently too difficult for some, thus they blame an outside source.

Agreed

**Gnomy** · 20th January 2008, 06:51 AM

Wow we got brazilian players on these forums... Cool

Where from?

**DiP** · 20th January 2008, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brom

Taking personal responsibility for your own morality and ethics is apparently too difficult for some, thus they blame an outside source.

Don't forget to add passing it on to your kids also.

Calell · 20th January 2008, 10:32 AM

Sadly dip is right

19th January 2008, 12:39 PM	#1
Maddux I've got Skinnies with RPGS! Twelve 'o'clock! Join Date: Jan 2006 Shard: Pacific Posts: 6,606 Gold: 23,463 Thanks: 22 Thanked 62 Times in 49 Posts	Brazil bans popular video games seen to incite violence RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) — Brazil this week imposed a ban on popular role-playing computer games "Counter-Strike" and "EverQuest," claiming they incited violence and were "harmful to consumers' health." The federal prohibition on the sale of the games was being applied across the country, the official consumer protection agency in the central state of Goias said on its website Thursday. Both games allow players, typically teenage boys, to connect online to fantasy worlds where they interact with other players, form groups and carry out joint missions usually involving combat. "Counter-Strike," a first-person-view shoot-'em-upper based on the motor powering the popular "Half-Life" game, requires participants to choose a role as either a masked terrorist or an anti-terrorist officer before going forth with an ever-sophisticated array of weapons. An adapted version in Brazil permitted players to take on the perspective of either a police officer or a narcotrafficker in Rio de Janeiro's infamously crime-ridden slums. "EverQuest" is a swords-and-spells game in the mold of "Lord of the Rings" in which human or elvish or other imaginary characters go on joint adventures to gain treasure and increase their avatar's abilities. Both began in 1999 and have since developed huge worldwide followings. Some psychologists have described them as addictive as drugs. A few players have turned professional, earning money from powerful characters they sell, or from the auction of hard-to-win virtual items. The ban was ordered in October 2007 by a Brazilian federal court, but was not immediately implemented. The judge, Carlos Alberto Simoes, ruled that the games encouraged "the subversion of public order, were an attack against the democratic state and the law and against public security."

19th January 2008, 11:08 PM	#2
dhekke I am the Gosso King! Join Date: Jun 2007 Shard: Chesapeake Posts: 181 Gold: 1,074 My Mood: Thanks: 11 Thanked 14 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Brazil bans popular video games seen to incite violence Things like these make me ashamed of living here We are Ultima Online

19th January 2008, 11:31 PM	#3
Achilles Join Date: Apr 2006 Shard: Catskills Posts: 146 Gold: 68 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Brazil bans popular video games seen to incite violence I hate seeing stuff like this.

19th January 2008, 11:34 PM	#4
Kiminality Join Date: Jun 2007 Shard: Europa Posts: 108 Gold: 56 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Brazil bans popular video games seen to incite violence On a peripherally related note; some time last year, OGPLanet issued a warning, directed at all Brazilian players of Albatross18. (Here). They later blocked Brazilian IPs from creating accounts (though I can't find a link for that). Are you connected to you?

20th January 2008, 01:04 AM	#6
Brom Introverted Barbarian Join Date: Nov 2006 Shard: Europa Posts: 300 Gold: 320 Thanks: 7 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Brazil bans popular video games seen to incite violence Video games are a very recent form of entertainment when compared with other mainstream or "accepted" types of entertainment (golf, going to the movies, etc.). Unfortunately that makes it a popular scapegoat for those who know nothing about it. Everything from Rock'n'roll to D&D has been blamed for corrupting and misleading youth all over the world, when that's simply not the true heart of the matter. Games are here to stay whether the big-shots like it or not. Twenty years from now they will be pointing their accusatory fingers at the next newest form of entertainment. Taking personal responsibility for your own morality and ethics is apparently too difficult for some, thus they blame an outside source. "Peace is not the absence of war. It is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence and justice." -Baruch Spinoza Last edited by Brom; 20th January 2008 at 01:08 AM..

20th January 2008, 06:51 AM	#8
Gnomy Forum Legend Join Date: Sep 2006 Shard: Snowbourn - LOTRO Posts: 2,500 Gold: 16,592 My Mood: Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 45 Thanked 46 Times in 35 Posts	Re: Brazil bans popular video games seen to incite violence Wow we got brazilian players on these forums... Cool Where from?

20th January 2008, 10:32 AM	#10
Calell Red-Headed Stepchild Join Date: Dec 2006 Shard: Sonoma Posts: 986 Gold: 6,351 My Mood: Thanks: 94 Thanked 89 Times in 70 Posts	Re: Brazil bans popular video games seen to incite violence Sadly dip is right "When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they went skipping about and that was the beginning of faeries." ~Sir J.M. Barrie "Miss Brant, that's NOT the position I hired you for."

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