Venezuela Bans Hostile Videogames and Toys

An anonymous reader writes "In an effort to 'help improve child education and prevent misconduct,' the Venezuelan government began enforcing a law on March 3rd banning war videogames and toys, imposing a fine and 2.5 years in prison on the production, distribution, sale, hiring and use of video games and toys inciting violent behavior. Alberto Federico Ravell, former director of opposing news network Globovision, has already come on twitter denouncing the authorities for seizing imported Gameboy, Wii and PlayStation 3 consoles, due to considering them violent."

Re:Story at 11

[RogueyWon]

Chavez does seem to have an ambition to turn "his" country into the new North Korea.

The sad thing is that the locals seem to be applauding him. Seriously, there will be comments on this thread saying "OMG THE US/UK IS JUST AS BAD".

No, they're not.

Alberto Federico Ravell an Asshole Liar

[Anonymous Coward]

Im Venezuelan, linving in Venezuela. And the seizing of gaming consoles is a lie. The new law, bans violent games and toys. So since yesterday no violent videogames can be imported or sold. The goverment will refund the stores who have violent videogames on their shelves so they dont lose their investment, as same for violent toy. Thats all, Alberto Federico Ravell is a liar and a media terrorist.

Re:Story at 11

[royallthefourth]

Why not?

I am not aware of Venezuela under Chavez starting wars on the other side of the planet.
The economic and quality of life graphs on Venezuela's Wikipedia page generally show sharp increases around Chavez' rise to power. The biggest harm he's done is to foreign business interests who were stepping on his electorate.

Re:Great, but don't go overboard

[DontLickJesus]

People killing other people is not natural. It's largest form, war, is incited by government and religious establishments. Usually due to a disagreement that none of those involved actually give a damn about. I grew up in Texas in a town where the military steadily recruited tons of my friends... to what end? To quote System of a Down: "Why don't presidents fight the war? Why do they always send the poor?". No one but the mentally ill kills because they want to. The functionally mentally ill get others to do it for them.

Re:hugo...

[Anonymous Coward]

Good for Venezuela! And FUCK YOU to game companies that manipulate the natural aggressive impulses in small children and others into game play. Just who do these fuckers think they are - messing with the minds of kids that are still in pre-school. Also, a special shout out to the irresponsible parents who let their kids play these games. I have seen 5 year old kids playing the most violent games, and then going on to emulate and model what they play in real life. It's like handguns. We are a pretty stupid society in certain ways - and great in others. Letting the worst kind of violent images into our kid's heads is just plain IGNORANT. Oh, yeah, I'm a cognitive neuroscientist; I know a fair amount about how young brains model certain kinds of behavior, and the harm that leads to in terms of how those young brains frame conflict situation, and solutions for resolving them. FUCK YOU! EA, and every other company that makes this shit and lets it get into the minds of our kids - for what? - for your fucking stockholders??! You're a bunch of greedy sociopaths.

Re:Story at 11

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah why start wars on the other side of the globe when you can simply destabilize your neighbors...

Re:Story at 11

[Anonymous Coward]

I have family in Venezuela, been going there for years. Here's an interesting story that was suppressed. The second time Chavez got re-elected by a super majority, 98.6% of the working population didn't show up to work the next day in protest. in contrast, he has done a lot for the poor in the haciendas on the mountain sides, but they don't have jobs and don't pay taxes. They don't contribute in major ways to the economy. I have no problem with job programs for such a populous, except that in Venezuela they don't get paid, they get tickets for socialized food programs. Still better than it was, but the working populous isn't making any of that money to invest in new business. All the job programs are run by companies Chavez owns. All the contracts those companies "win" are also owned by Chavez. You can't make any money without having to bribe officials. It's not just foreign interests he suppresses, he does it more internally. course he owns the media outlets and fines cable operators for not airing his marathon speeches. So I have no links. Take it as it is.
Anon because my family is high profile.

Re:Great, but don't go overboard

[Jarjarthejedi]

"People killing other people is not natural."

Look up instraspecific competition sometime. Biology disagrees with you. People not killing others for their stuff is far LESS natural than the alternative, without civilizations killing goes up (after all if I want joes stuff and nothing bad'll happen to me if I just go and take it what's there to stop me?)

I usually don't bother with tabula rasa people but really now? You're going to make an argument that's contradicted by ALL of human history and everything we know about biology? Really?

Re:Alberto Federico Ravell an Asshole Liar

[Canapial]

Since I'm Venezuelan too, I suppose I might give this a try, taking into account a modified Frank Zappa axiom that nationality alone (instead of the original item, 'drugs') shan't be a license to behave like a douchebag or justify bogus attitudes. For those who don't like him, let's just say I'm trying to stay neutral here. Now, what I saw from the Youtube videos, one of the main reasons violent videogames should be banned (according to The Man himself) is because, besides not being representative of our own culture and the purported peace the current government preaches (somewhat randomly when you hear every now and then the colorful, Official, motto of Peaceful yet Armed Revolution, grrrr), "the Empire [the US] is inciting hatred by designing videogames that want to assassinate me". The latter of course, was wrapped under lighthearted tones, which is the preferred method of the Latin American populist formula. But if you're thinking 'oh gee I think this gentleman here is toying around with legislation to cater to his delusions of grandeur', well, if you're thinking that, then you might as well agree that Arrested Development is undoubtedly one of the best series ever. Bring it back, folks. I don't live in Venezuela because I love me some adventure. If you notice though, the first words from the original poster, there's seemingly an institutionalized view that those Venezuelan citizens who don't currently live in their country of origin are prone to commit treason of some sort [citation needed], because duh, there's no better country than the fifth exporter of oil worldwide that houses a ludicrous amount of people that, by majority (and this I fathom devoid of sarcasm), frown upon free enterprise, and pretty much upon the entirety of the American Pie institution, living in pretty shabby conditions, and gee, being happy with it. According to even the most favorable of statistics, there's still an awful lot of poverty and an abyssal lack of education. A little bit of insecurity here and there, a buncha crammed ghettos. Brazilian folk affectionately call it 'Favelas'. Point in case, have you read those books (hint, Huxley, Orwell, or the dystopia of your choice) where some fellas have the relentless need to identify their colors loud and proud, no matter the context? Some things are more important in life. For me, it's Hot Pockets and Coors Light (to your potential surprise, I have a full-blown London cockney accent. You never thought the day would come where someone who talks like Hugh Grant would crave Hot Pockets, did you?) Most Venezuelans like Chavez. 51% at least. Many European left-wingers ADORE The Man. If I can tell you anything about the people ruled by The Man, is that they've been socially polarized (and I can't stress that enough), and it's a lovehate thing all along. Some love videogames being banned (as curious as watching hookers debating on Theosophy). Some don't. Either way, this is the will of the people, or the majority of it. Or is it? I like The Man sometimes, though. He is quite an entertainer. And politics - quoting Mr. Zappa again - "is the entertainment branch of industry". So in that sense he's [He's] doing one hell of a job. But it's just that he is progressively, steadily leaving me without options when I have to defend him from foreigners that ask an innocent question about Himself. Even my Eurobeatnik friends are losing faith in The Man, that's how low it's gotten. D: If this looks like a hideous fat block of text on your monitor, I'm sorry. It was a good 3 pints.