Should the law be tougher on Parents who knowingly purchase age rated video games for underage kids? — Scope | Disability forum
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Should the law be tougher on Parents who knowingly purchase age rated video games for underage kids?

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User] Posts: 1,651 Connected
Above.

I don't play games like Call of Duty online myself but I've heard of kids as young as 12 being online on it even though the game is 18 rated therefore it's illegal for under 18s to even play it.

However, due to the increasing popularity of the games such as COD and also Grand Theft Auto, which is also 18 rated as it features violence and bad words, and also more kids are online due to all 3 lockdowns, Parents are under pressure to buy games to keep the kids occupied.

However, should Parents who knowingly buy age rated games for underage kids get done for it more severely? IMO they should but what do you guys think?

Should the law be tougher on Parents who knowingly purchase age rated video games for underage kids? 6 votes

Yes
66%
leeCalwoodbine[Deleted User]Lisatho11987777 4 votes
No
0%
Depends on the content of the games
0%
Other (Please keep comments clean)
33%
GeoarkBrettW 2 votes

Comments

  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    Other (Please keep comments clean)
    I voted other, first of all the premise of your argument is faulty. It is not illegal for children to play them, or for adults to buy them and give them to underage children.The law relates specifically to selling these games to underage children.

    I am also not keen on open ended questions like 'should the law be tougher' but then conveniently not saying what is meant by 'tougher'.

    Is it right, no, but again I have to go back to your arguments for doing so.

    Bad language, I have heard much worse from kids aged 12 and younger than I have witnessed in games. Still doesn't make it right, but is a fact of life.

    Violence, take away anything age related and our children are still exposed to it. I am not talking about knife or gang violence, but the day to day interactions they witness from angry adults tackling some perceived wrong. On tv news, in papers etc.

    Personally I would prefer to see better education on parenting and parenting skills so parents can make better decisions.  

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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,651 Connected
    edited January 2021
    Yes
    Geoark said:
    I voted other, first of all the premise of your argument is faulty. It is not illegal for children to play them, or for adults to buy them and give them to underage children.The law relates specifically to selling these games to underage children.

    I am also not keen on open ended questions like 'should the law be tougher' but then conveniently not saying what is meant by 'tougher'.

    Is it right, no, but again I have to go back to your arguments for doing so.

    Bad language, I have heard much worse from kids aged 12 and younger than I have witnessed in games. Still doesn't make it right, but is a fact of life.

    Violence, take away anything age related and our children are still exposed to it. I am not talking about knife or gang violence, but the day to day interactions they witness from angry adults tackling some perceived wrong. On tv news, in papers etc.

    Personally I would prefer to see better education on parenting and parenting skills so parents can make better decisions.  
    Look, <moderator removed - offensive language> it IS illegal for underage kids to play age rated games or watch age rated movies... I know the Mods won't thank me for calling you a <moderator removed - offensive language> but it's a lot softer than what I could've said.

    Google is your friend for the current laws in the UK.

  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,741 Disability Gamechanger
    @MrAllen1976 This is a reminder to be mindful of the language you use to address other people.  Although they may have a different opinion to you, this doesn't excuse using offensive terms.  

    @Geoark This is a subject, I'll be honest, I know nothing about.  Do you have any good links to where we can read more about video game legislation?
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,651 Connected
    edited January 2021
    Yes
    @Cher_Scope how is the word <moderator removed - offensive language> offensive? I seriously give up on the moderating on this board, it's PC gone mad.

  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,741 Disability Gamechanger
    @MrAllen1976 I'd be happy to discuss this with you privately to avoid adding further conflict to this thread.  Please email me at community@scope.org.uk and we can have a chat.
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  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
    Yes
    Video  games videos anything like that have an age  on it  an adult can buy any game as they are adults  or any aged related item becsuse they are adults 

    If for example someone under the age of 18 tries to buy an 18 rated item sale would be refused becsuse its against the law same as selling alcohol or cigarettes is against the law if they are  under the legal age to purchase 

    Many adults do buy age related items for people under age  but the law only comes to light if they have been reported  or caught on camera 

    In large supermarkets  if someone is trying to buy age related items and they don't look their age they will be asked for id to prove their age 

    Example tesco policy is think 25   and anyone selling to anyone under age  can be prosecuted along with tesco and loss of job 

    All the above is  from experience in my employment and advocacy work 
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
    Yes
    @Cher_Scope if an adult was in tesco and were known to be buying  an age related item then the sale wouldn't be allowed 

    I cant find anything appropriate on line to cover what @Geoark is saying 
    As it mostly says what an underage person can't buy 

    Its an interesting subject but is also a very large subject and adults can be prosecuted for buying under age products for children but it depends in what situation 

    Its best if you look online yourself  realy instead of me trying to go into detail  I think  as there are cases in law to read there are all the items you cant buy there are lots of things about this subject 

    From what I can see from mr allens Post it was just a vote to see what people thought  
  • BrettW
    BrettW Community member Posts: 698 Pioneering
    Other (Please keep comments clean)
    Realistically I think it would be impossible to enforce
  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,519 Disability Gamechanger
    Yes
    @BrettW exactly, that's the problem, how do you enforce these rules when these games are so easy to buy online?
    The other conundrum is would you want to criminalise people?
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  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
    Yes
    @woodbine that is the problem with games a shop can stop a sale 

    But say some one brought a violent game for an under age person  if that person went out and committed a crime similar to the game then the parents become responsible 

    It is a very big subject  but there are lots of examples online 
  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,519 Disability Gamechanger
    Yes
    A great example is that you can't legally buy cigarettes util you are 18 (nor vaping devizes) doesn't stop over 11 million people smoking/vaping, but who gets prosecuted the under 18 year old? No, the shop/store? Yes
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  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
    Yes
    @woodbine that is very true but all the customer assistant who sold it 

    How I look at it from a parents point of view is would I want someone to sell my child something they shouldn't  be buying 

    I think its a very good topic to discuss as it is a big subject and also has alot of implications   to what could happen if people either buy or sell something to some one who is under age  it has a knock on affect ? 
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
    Yes
    And the customer assistant not all
  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    Other (Please keep comments clean)
    @MrAllen1976 This is a reminder to be mindful of the language you use to address other people.  Although they may have a different opinion to you, this doesn't excuse using offensive terms.  

    @Geoark This is a subject, I'll be honest, I know nothing about.  Do you have any good links to where we can read more about video game legislation?
    @Cher_Scope the relevant legislation is the 'Videos Recording Act 1984 and this refers to the distribution and selling of such items for profit or for the furtherance of a business.  A current copy of the act can be found at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/39/contents

    In particular:

    3Exempted supplies.E+W+S

    [F1(1)The provisions of this section apply to determine whether or not a supply of a video recording is an exempted supply for the purposes of this Act.

    (2)The supply of a video recording by any person is an exempted supply if it is neither—

    (a)a supply for reward, nor

    (b)a supply in the course or furtherance of a business.


    This is what PEGI say in their tips to parents:

    PEGI provides advice regarding the age suitability of a game. However, every child is different. Ultimately parents should decide what their children are capable of viewing or experiencing:

    https://pegi.info/page/tips-parents

    @MrAllen1976, yes google is my friend as is being able to discern between opinion and fact. But for something to be illegal it requires an act of parliament, I was unable to find this, if you can supply evidence to such an act to back what you say I will stand corrected and concede the point.


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    As a member of a group I did things.
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