The lights are on
As part of a new initiative dubbed “Operation: Game Over," more than 3,500 registered sex offenders were banned from online gaming.
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman made the announcement today, adding that participants in the program include: Microsoft, Apple, Blizzard Entertainment, Electronic Arts, Disney Interactive Media Group, Warner Brothers and Sony.
“We must ensure online video game systems do not become a digital playground for dangerous predators. That means doing everything possible to block sex offenders from using gaming networks as a vehicle to prey on underage victims,” said Schneiderman.
“I applaud all the companies participating in this first-of-its-kind initiative for taking online safety seriously and purging their networks of sex offenders. Together we are making the online community safer for our children, not allowing it to become a 21st century crime scene.”
Operation: Game Over is the first time the law has been applied to online video game systems.
Convicted sex offenders in New York must register all of e-mail addresses, screen names, accounts so websites can remove potential predators. Gaming companies have now agreed to remove their game accounts as well.
“At Microsoft, we continually evaluate ways to manage safety for our 40 million Xbox live members and particularly for children on our service," said Rich Wallis, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Microsoft. "Our partnership with the Office of the New York Attorney General helps further this cause.
"By leveraging the online identity information all registered sex offenders are required to provide, we are able to help reduce potentially harmful situations. We’re supportive of Attorney General Schneiderman’s efforts to make the Internet, including online gaming environments like Xbox Live, safer for everyone.”
The Entertainment Software Association SVP Christian Genetski said, “Our industry welcomes appropriate efforts allowing people of all ages to play games in a safer environment. Online game play with friends is a social experience and we encourage parents to be aware of what games their children are enjoying and with whom they are interacting in the virtual space.
"Through the use of robust parental controls and awareness of the online world, playing games online can be a fulfilling and rich experience.”
This seems a like it's a bit too much. They could have just banned them from being able to interact with other people, such as not being able to send messages or voice chat.
This should only offend you if you're actually a sex offender. You commit a crime, you lose some rights. Sounds fair to me.
I think not allowing them to play at all is ludicrous. If anything at all, there should only be communication restraints on the registered offenders. Something could easily be set up to where microphone/text communication isn't allowed, perhaps unless it's with an already established "friend." Unfortunately, that leads me into the problem of people friending random people they have fun playing a game with online - something we've all likely done - but a habit I've kept to 3-5 people out of my entire friends list. This, however, falls into parental supervision and upbringing of the children themselves.
OBJECTION!........
Over ruled.
how long until someone figures away around this system, I say they're already doing it
Online gaming is a privelage, not a right. These people have commitied a felony and as a result they have lost the benefit of the doubt to be able to control themselves. Same reason they are not allowed in jobs that involve children or allowed near schools.
PS. Which people's states actually have public urination as a sex crime? I believe a large number of states that it is simply indecent expsosure and more often then not, not even prosecuted.
While I agree that some offenders (convicted predators) should be banned, but what about those whose actions are completely unrelated to online interactions? These sex offender lists are far too vague in their implementation to be allowed to extend to their gaming. I support the idea, but I think there needs to be some sort of restrictions on who could be banned.
YES, assuming you were labeled as a pervert for reasons other than peeing in a bush (that actually counts?). Seriously, these creeps could use a headset. And everyone knows that lots of kids play the Wii version of MW3. While I haven't seen any creeps, it's only inevitable one will be on there. Laws like this to ban pervs should have been out YEARS ago.
You go New York!!
I agree a 100% with this. I'm glad they are looking at online gaming in a serious way, a safer online community should make everyone happy...no matter what.
wow. That's so stupid.
*Checks PSN*
Wait, why can't I sign in?
This is an OK idea but if they don't do anything whats the problem...
Although I feel some major classification needs to be done here, I think this is a good idea because you get stupid kids who do run away from home to meet XxGuyWithPuppiesInAWhiteVan2010xX.
STOP PEEING IN PUBLIC!
Well that's definitely better than some other initiatives they could be taking.
Interesting.