View Full Version : It's Now Legal To Sell Adult Games To Minors In The UK
File under: Oh Dear. A series of administrative blunders in the UK has resulted in the discovery today that the country's video game ratings laws are not actually in effect. In 1984, the Video Recordings Act was passed in British parliament, resulting in the supposed implementation of a law that would see retailers and individuals punished for providing under-age customers with age-restricted content (including video games).....................
http://kotaku.com/5344941/its-now-legal-to-sell-adult-games-to-minors-in-the-uk
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8219438.stm
How can they make such a mistake??
You're kidding...
To be honest that's good for me. Not because I can buy games I'm too young for but because I could tell them I don't need ID to buy games and instead just tell them there's nothing stopping them from selling it to me.
Or I just carry on buying games online...
Nononono. It's not legal, it's that retailers who don't comply can't be prosecuted.
I still hope that common sense is applied until this is fixed.
Nononono. It's not legal, it's that retailers who don't comply can't be prosecuted.
I still hope that common sense is applied until this is fixed.
With out the fear of prosecution their nothing stopping them doing it now but like you say I also hope common sence is still used.
Since they're letting people off, I don't see people using common sense. This'll also probably cause tons of problems too.
I doubt I'd still be able to buy 15+ games anyway, since it's policy rather than law.
Do most game retailers ask for ID when purchasing a computer game?.
I know the one's around my way are pretty lax about this, and wouldn't think twice about selling an 18 rated game to a 10 year old.
Do most game retailers ask for ID when purchasing a computer game?.
I know the one's around my way are pretty lax about this, and wouldn't think twice about selling an 18 rated game to a 10 year old.
Irresponsible. As a minor's guardian, I wouldn't be too pleased with that.
Do most game retailers ask for ID when purchasing a computer game?.
Common sence would say yes but many shops don't fall into this catagary.
My gamestation is very strict on this and if they look borderline age they will always ask for ID.
But the indipendent store across from it does not which is very wrong.
In my Asda if you look under 21 they will ask for ID for a 18 game as many mid teens look older than they are.
Irresponsible. As a minor's guardian, I wouldn't be too pleased with that.
Yeah, i agree.
However i figure they value a sale over moral responsibility.
My gamestation is very strict on this and if they look borderline age they will always ask for ID.
This annoys me. I understand why they do it, but they make me feel as if I'm doing something wrong. Normally for me, if I buy a game in a store, it's a spur of the moment thing and have to get my parents to get the game.
Once I couldn't buy a 360 magazine from WHSmith because it had a 15 rating and again I had no ID. It's just a bit much to me. Besides it doesn't stop most 11 year olds from buying 18s. Most of my brother's friends have copies of GTA4, Left4Dead, Resident Evil 5, COD5 and COD4.
My main problem is when a store won't serve little timmy with a rated game the parents come in and have a go at the people and try and buy the game for them. All they can say it won't harm it's only a game.
But thats not the point it's about protecting our children from this kind of media till they are of age and responasble enough to play it.
My main problem is when a store won't serve little timmy with a rated game the parents come in and have a go at the people and try and buy the game for them. All they can say it won't harm it's only a game.
But thats not the point it's about protecting our children from this kind of media till they are of age and responasble enough to play it.
For me, my parents did that twice. Once was for that X-Men beat-'em-up which was a 12(dad said I'd be allowed since it wasn't a BBFC rating) and I was 11(and around 10 months I think) so my mum bought it for me. And the second time was because I was trading in GTA3 for my dad while he looked around, but they don't let you trade 18s in if you're not 18...
The 'rents have bought me games that are rated higher than my age, but mostly when they feel I'm responsible, while most of my friend's where playing Vice City, I wasn't allowed, I didn't mind, I understood why not. When GTA4 came out loads of the people in my year had preordered it, and were talking about how it had arrived. My dad had also got it, but I knew I wasn't going to be allowed to play it.
Now that I'm 16, my parents are very relaxed about the games I play, because I understand what is and isn't acceptable in society.
I've just read the whole post and noticed that 18 rated DVDS are included in this too.
I can see the headlines now 'underage pregnancy's are up, kids watching too many 'blue' movies are to blame'.
Joking aside it does make you wonder though.:blink:
I can see the headlines now 'underage pregnancy's are up, kids watching too many 'blue' movies are to blame'.
I doubt it.
isnt this the same for Porn dvds?
The Possessed
25-08-09, 13:25
This annoys me. I understand why they do it, but they make me feel as if I'm doing something wrong. Normally for me, if I buy a game in a store, it's a spur of the moment thing and have to get my parents to get the game.
It's not there to make you feel like you're doing something wrong. It's there simply to prove that you're the legal age to purchase the product and they're right to challenge you. I like to go out drinking with my mates and I'm 23. If I get asked for ID I could grumble and moan and get their attention so that they immediately become watchful of me or I can simply say to myself they're just doing their job and show my ID. If people request an ID from you they're only doing their job at the end of the day.
isnt this the same for Porn dvds?
That's what a 'blue' movie is lol.
It's not there to make you feel like you're doing something wrong. It's there simply to prove that you're the legal age to purchase the product and they're right to challenge you. I like to go out drinking with my mates and I'm 23. If I get asked for ID I could grumble and moan and get their attention so that they immediately become watchful of me or I can simply say to myself they're just doing their job and show my ID. If people request an ID from you they're only doing their job at the end of the day.
I know it's not, but I can't help feeling that way. The same thing happens to me if policemen seem to be walking towards me. I try to work out what I've done wrong, but I haven't. It's not so much paranoia or a guilty disposition but more self-consciousness and the utmost pessimism.
Also has anyone seen the new Challenge 30 policy in some alcohol shops(do they have a name???)? Now that's absurd. If you look just under 12 years older than when you can legally drink you still have to have proof of ID/age.
The Possessed
25-08-09, 19:59
I know it's not, but I can't help feeling that way. The same thing happens to me if policemen seem to be walking towards me. I try to work out what I've done wrong, but I haven't. It's not so much paranoia or a guilty disposition but more self-consciousness and the utmost pessimism.
I can relate to that, but that's up to you to deal with.
Aint nothing wrong with that... Games are just games..
The licensing laws are there primarily to protect minors from seeing content that they shouldn't be seeing.
I mean GTA IV has a lot of content that is nowhere near suitable for a 12 year old, even though I'm sure many people underage have the game. Cases like this where a 12 year old has an 18 rated game, it leaves gamers open to attacks from non gamers who bleat on about the effects of video games (e.g. it increases anti social behaviour nonsense)
Saying that, many people buy their games online nowadays which is just one way people are getting around the age classification.
Saying that, many people buy their games online nowadays which is just one way people are getting around the age classification.
I'd be forced to put my hands up to that. Not that often though, it's only 18s which I shouldn't be sold...
I was kinda suprised that Ten didn't stop people for winning prizes they're too young to have. Although it's not selling, and none are 18s(are they?).
Im surprised it took this long to find out though, considering the whole fiasco with byron and age ratings couple years ago
James Mitchell
27-08-09, 03:34
Irresponsible. As a minor's guardian, I wouldn't be too pleased with that.
I work in a specialised gaming retailer and it's compulsory at our store to ask for ID. I suspect some stores are more lax but it's important because the laws here mean that ont only could our store get sued / fined, but the individual responsible could too.
I totally undersand why people would want to ask, a lot of kids come in trying to buy games with questionable content.
But yeah, this is interesting, and as others have said, common sense should prevail until things sort themselves out.
i am under 18 like EliteFreq so i just bring my dad to the store with me (i generally have in mind what i want to buy first). or i order from amazon, which is my favorite way.
whether i am underage or not i will get the game if i want it enough.
E.x. - my parents once said no more shooter games, since then i bought COD4, battlefield 1943, and dead space.... lol.
price also helps, if it is only 10-15 pounds i can say well, if it turns out to be bad it's only ten pounds. and then they usually agree and let me have it :high5:
The only thing i wouldnt show my child on TV or in games if he was under age would be sex. I dont believe that videogame violence changes people so im okay with this current UK law.
In my country i never heard in my whole life topic games and violence on TV(local stations that is) because nobody cares about it and thats ok by me. Personaly, i think its only a problem when someone says its a problem(if you know what i mean)
It's a bit embarrassing for the government, but no major retailer would dream of changing policy. Inevitably there'll be one media story of a shop assistant who either makes a mistake or gets stung by someone testing.
Anyone interested enough to read should check out "Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do"-- a really good book on the subject.
thezombiemessia
27-08-09, 18:00
The only thing i wouldnt show my child on TV or in games if he was under age would be sex. I dont believe that videogame violence changes people so im okay with this current UK law.
It doesn't change people to the extent of making them a serial killer or murderer, but it does change people.
However, this isn't specific to games, it is a part of Media in general.
People that see violence on screen, whether it be on TV, ina film, or in a videogame, will slowly get desensitized to the violence.
For instance, when people first started playing GTA1, it was seen as horrific and terrible, but it has no diminished to next to nothing...people just don't care anymore.
But this is similar to War Coverage in the News. Before WW1&2, there just wasn't that much coverage of War...people didn't know how horrible it was, and didn't pay much attention to people that came home mentally scarred.
When WW1&2 started to get more media coverage, and when people started to see more of the effects, there was a general outcry to the Media to not show it...because it was seen as demoralising, and horrific.
But now turn on BBC News, or something similar, and you will see footage of conflict, and even the occasional burnt copse being dragged through a street.
The Media does change people, even if only in small ways at first.
and even the occasional burnt copse being dragged through a street.
what the?!
i know it's horrible but i can't stop laughing! :D
(maybe i have been desensitized more than i know!)
i think it doesn't change much. sure people get less scared when they see something graphic but it doesn't change much.
if you were in a real life situation with a gun to your head, you would still pee your pants, no matter what
thezombiemessia
27-08-09, 20:04
what the?!
i know it's horrible but i can't stop laughing! :D
(maybe i have been desensitized more than i know!)
i think it doesn't change much. sure people get less scared when they see something graphic but it doesn't change much.
if you were in a real life situation with a gun to your head, you would still pee your pants, no matter what
Lets think about another example.
If Media didn't effect people, why do we have people that like to Cosplay? Or, with another example, why do we have Goths, Emos, Gangsta's, etc?
It all seems like small changes, but there is an overall large effect on the populace...
I agree with TZM
All types of media effect every one but in different ways.
It's not just the conscious mind it effects but it's also the subconscious.
A childs mind is more cerseptable than a adults mind and that needs to be taken in to concideration when rating films games ect.
You may not think it effects you but it will do even if in a subtle way