What a superb 183rd amendment
France is quite weird about videogames. Politics are on fire to demonstrate
how videogames are bad for our little boys. The last strike was made by French
deputies who thought it would be wonderful to define videogames as addictive.
Even if videogames’addiction has not be proven.
The funny thing is that they want to amend the 25th article of the French
hospital reform. Videogames and hospital ? I am not kidding.
To understand how crazy it goes, I translate the article 25 in order to
understand the combo, Because the tricks and the logic are certainly hidden in
the manual:
Article 25 - Prohibition of "candy cigarettes".
The aim of the article is to prohibit the sale and distribution of
cigarettes whose taste has been modified specifically to attract a younger
audience. These cigarettes contain as much or more nicotine and tar than
conventional cigarettes. The sweet flavors (vanilla or chocolate) can erase the
bitterness of the first cigarette and thus the dependence on nicotine.
A recent survey, conducted in Paris, has highlighted the fact that 30% of
smokers aged thirteen regularly consume this type of cigarette.
Well, what connection with video games? I am not a mind reader. But it
always makes me laugh and cry to see noobs table amendments to bills about
videogames:
Be careful, what’s following is impressive : the 183rd amendment.
After Article 25 insert the following:
When a game presents a risk to public health because of its addictive
potential, support each unit and its packaging bear, under conditions set by a
decree of the Minister for Health, a message of sanitary . The implementation
of this obligation is incumbent upon the publisher or, failing that, the
distributor responsible for distribution in France of the video game.
Well well, Same old song, It has already had this debate on the draft law on
juvenile delinquency during the campaign of our dear Mr. President. An
administrative authority should be created. We are still waiting. But the fact
that Ministry of Health should regulate videogames must be a joke. And that the
game is attached to candy cigarettes I can’t stop crying.
The best is yet to come:
SUMMARY STATEMENT
Adolescents constitute a particularly vulnerable target to computer.
Consultations for addiction to video games are primarily concerned with
children and adolescents. Faced with this phenomenon, a common sign in 25
European countries was established. PEGGY system (Pan-European Game
Information) provides guidance in the form of symbols printed on the boxes of
video games. However, many parents do not understand the meaning of symbols.
This amendment seeks to make the implementation of a prevention message clear
about the risks of addiction that can cause some video games.
I though I was dreaming when I read that. PEGGY??? Peggy the pig ? Or
whatelse? No, it is PEGI, the pan-european game information, quite the same
self-regulatory organization as ESRB. Then I started wondering why they would
do such a mistake:
- Are either illiterate or don’t they know the principle of an acronym ?
- Is there a brand new european organism? or they do not know the PEGI system
?
- Even better, they do not know what a video game is and they did not read
the state of the art in this field.
Just have a glance at their previous report which mixes video games and
gambling. Hey guys, gambling issues ended with the arcade coin-up system games.
It was during the 80s, just 20 years ago.
At this level, this is more than ideology: it's political incompetence.
So rather than to reform the university, tears on the lower level in French
and blaming everything they do not know, they had to go to school to avoid this
error.
Well, here it is France. Maybe will be the first State to define videogames
as addictive. Where are waiting the next review by the Senate. Our government
is so open minded that they use communist tricks to solve public issues. I
think that every gamer should exile from France and ask anywhere for political
refugee status. Can I come ?
PS: I you want the link, they are unfortunately in French, but you can find
them in the french version of this
post
