It's come to my attention that the Australian release of GTA4 will be edited to censor most of the extreme violence that has led to a rating above the highest currently in australia. Doesn't this violate some sort of civil right? I'm not sure exactly what has been censored out, but I would think that censoring anything is a far too extreme for the government to get away with. This doesn't really affect PS3 users, but xbox has region locks to prevent Australians from playing american or UK copies. Is the government also allowed to ban books and movies with extreme content?

How is it any different from films having been edited for tv? Plenty of countries do this, afaik. The game Age of Conan will have nudity with nipples! But not in the States, for example.

Quote from flymike91 :

It's come to my attention that the Australian release of GTA4 will be edited to censor most of the extreme violence that has led to a rating above the highest currently in australia. Doesn't this violate some sort of civil right? I'm not sure exactly what has been censored out, but I would think that censoring anything is a far too extreme for the government to get away with. This doesn't really affect PS3 users, but xbox has region locks to prevent Australians from playing american or UK copies. Is the government also allowed to ban books and movies with extreme content?

Violate civil rights? What are you smoking? Things are always censored over here we dont complain we just get on with out lives. Postal is banned here and its illegal to have any copy of it same with manhunt. In New Zealand we would have given GTA IV an R18+ rating however Australia doesnt have such a rating and we are stuck with their version.

Quote from NotAnIllusion :

How is it any different from films having been edited for tv? Plenty of countries do this, afaik. The game Age of Conan will have nudity with nipples! But not in the States, for example.

The states version will feature Hersheys Kisses for nipples instead.

how bad can stealing cars be? (yes I've never played this game)

mmm chocolate :P

but its interesting that games are censored like that. it seems that you should get whatever you're old enough to buy. obviously uncensored porn is available in australia but you have to be old enough to buy it. games are a different thing though. apparently there is no one old enough in AUS to buy gta4 in all its bloody prostitute murdering glory.

Quote from flymike91 :

obviously uncensored porn is available in australia but you have to be old enough to buy it.

On that subject.... I always found it rather strange that you could be having sex at 16 (in the uk) but weren't allowed to watch it
Does that make any sense at all?

@zachary.... It's not the stealing, it how you steal them
(ripping the driver out and giving them a good bloody beating before shooting them and then driving off with their wheels )

You had me at

Quote :

This doesn't really affect PS3 users

:up:

Quote from The Moose :

On that subject.... I always found it rather strange that you could be having sex at 16 (in the uk) but weren't allowed to watch it
Does that make any sense at all?

@zachary.... It's not the stealing, it how you steal them
(ripping the driver out and giving them a good bloody beating before shooting them and then driving off with their wheels )

I see.
its was sort of a retorical question anyway :P

Jack Thompson 1, gamers 0.

Quote from The Moose :

On that subject.... I always found it rather strange that you could be having sex at 16 (in the uk) but weren't allowed to watch it
Does that make any sense at all?

There's a funnier one and which works for most countries - if you pay a woman money to have sex with you, that's illegal.

However if you pay a woman money to have sex with you, then record it and sell copies of the tape for profit, that's legal.

Quote from deggis :

Jack Thompson 1, gamers 0.

I dont understand what you linked to. It says he is filing lawsuits against a few Retail Stores but he has yet to win any lawsuit against a gaming company.

Quote from Crashgate3 :

There's a funnier one and which works for most countries - if you pay a woman money to have sex with you, that's illegal.

However if you pay a woman money to have sex with you, then record it and sell copies of the tape for profit, that's legal.

I think it's legal to pay a woman for sex in most country, it's only illegal if it involves a third party/middle man/pimps for that matter.

Quote from The Moose :

On that subject.... I always found it rather strange that you could be having sex at 16 (in the uk) but weren't allowed to watch it
Does that make any sense at all?

Yes. Mandatory blindfolds for the first two years of consensual sex. Not too often the government forces kinkier sex. I'm all for it. I don't think there is any law against listening to sex though, so no need for those earplugs.

Yaay for illogical laws!

I think that this is lunacy - as far as I'm concerned the British Board of F***ing C***s is a waste of money, but it's not the taxpayers. They force the producers of the film to pay for it, OK for big budget films but it isn't good for indie film makers.

It seems like Australia has a bunch of those "Jesus wants people to play and watch something inoffensive like Scrabble" types. On a similar note, does Ireland actually have any film censors? I swear it's just one bloke in an office that waits to see what the BBFC slap on it and raise it up one more.

EDIT : Re the "civil right" business, if this happened in the UK they may try to bring a human rights case against it. In the UK, the BBFC (yes, the film people, but they do some video games) said no to it, they went to an appeals organisation. In the mean time, they sent another version which was rejected by the BBFC. However, the VAC said that they could publish it, with an eighteen certificate.