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Jeremy Jastrzab
16 Mar, 2010

PALGN, EveryonePlays and GAME Hub

PALGN Feature | Everything you need to know about protecting children from mature games. UPDATED: with how YOU can help.
EveryonePlays - Protect Children from Mature Games.

On 28 February, the Attorney General's office stopped taking public submissions on whether Australia should have an R18+ rating for video games. This public consultation yielded more than 55,000 submissions, which is more than ANY public consultation before it. However, at PALGN, we realise that the process has only just begun.

As such, PALGN, EveryonePlays and GAME have joined forces to keep this debate alive. The debate over the R18+ classification has a long way to go before all State Attorney-Generals agree to amend the current legislation. PALGN, Everyoneplays and GAME are in it for the long haul.

So how can you help?

From 28 February, all the way up until 15 April, you’ll have a chance to sign the following petition:

“As of today, Australia does not have an R18+ classification for PC and video games.
This has resulted in many games receiving a lower classification than they otherwise would.
By signing this petition you believe that Australia should have an R18+ classification for PC and video games.”

By doing so, you'll be taking the first steps towards protecting children from mature games.

Head to the new Everyoneplays website here.

Find your nearest GAME store by clicking here.

Through out the course of our campaign, we'll be providing extensive coverage on the ensuing debate, while showing you the ways that you'll be able to protect children from mature games. It can be hard to keep up with everything sometimes, so we'll provide you with this hub that will give you access to everything that say, write and do. Remember to check back here regularly to make sure that you don't miss out on a single letter written!

All EveryonePlays Articles

Campaign for an R18+ PC and Video Game classification gains momentum. [19]
Ground-breaking petition tabled in the Australian Senate [10]
Auditors give the nod. [10]
WA and ACT Attorneys-General. [0]
Two letters from the Office of the NSW Attorney General. [8]
Tony Abbott: current classification system is “broken”. [8]
Letter from the VIC Attorney-General [11]
More responses from the Attorneys-General. [8]
More than 89,000 signatures recorded. [17]
With only a few days to go, we have a petition update for you. [16]
Atkinson's resignation is only the beginning. [2]
How you can protect children from mature games now. [4]
The other side and just what these studies recommend. [5]
Just what do these stats and psychology studies mean? [21]
EveryonePlays takes to the audio medium. [0]
Now was all that fuss REALLY worth it? [15]
So, who really needs the protection? [37]
Did the Classification Board get it 'right'? [26]
Do you agree with Michael Atkinson’s views? [27]
By looking at some successful and innovative examples, see how you can help protect children from mature games. [8]
The journey towards an R18+ rating, has only just begun. [152]


How YOU can help spread the word

UPDATE: There is just over a month to go and we're still going strong! Even if you've already signed a petition, you can still do your bit to protect children from mature games by spreading word of what we're doing by joining our Facebook and Twitter pages. Also, don't forget to tell all your friends and together we will be able to protect the children from mature games.

Become a fan of EveryonePlays!

Follow EveryonePlays on Twitter!
31 Comments
1 year ago
Actually I had no idea about any such thing because I don't have any interest in those games, seems like a whole separate issue to me - for them to be put into a 15+ category I surely hope they would be completely toned down and made acceptable without question for the 15+ category.
1 year ago
No, not usually. Australian MA15 = US/UK/NZ R18.
1 year ago
grim-one wrote
Great, so you should also recognise that 18+ games in other countries (such as New Zealand) regularly get shoe-horned into our 15+ category.
yosh64 wrote
Actually I had no idea about any such thing because I don't have any interest in those games, seems like a whole separate issue to me - for them to be put into a 15+ category I surely hope they would be completely toned down and made acceptable without question for the 15+ category.
In most circumstances they don't get 'toned down' at all. Take Grand Theft Auto IV for example. It is rated 18+ in Britain, America, Europe and New Zealand. The exact same game can be purchased by 15 year-olds in this country. This is why an R18+ rating needs to be introduced - it is the best way to actually protect children.

The benefits of an R18+ Rating far, far outweigh the risks.
1 year ago
If you want to get into the specifics of it, yes, the exposure to violent media does have a significant effect on an individuals level of aggression. However, what does this significant mean? It's statistical jargon for 'a value other than zero'. Having read and disected the studies, it's an effect along the lines - for every extra hour of violent media exposure in a given week, your voilent tendancies increase by 0.5% (all else held equal). But you don't hear that in the mainstream media do you? No, it's not a sexy finding.

Also from my extensive research, censorship at anything other than the extreme level doesn't do jack. You're much better off educating and holding people responsible. And what better way to educate and hold parents and sellers responsible than having an R18 rating?

I could talk about this for 1000 years, but most of what I have to say is in this hub.
1 year ago
Its an old thread - but current issue and the most relevent one I could find without creating a new one.

Was watching good game and a side issue occured to me. If games are 18+ how would that affect medoa coverage? Obviously good game would have some trouble maintaining a evening timeslot?
1 year ago
Good game can do their show, they just have to be cautious about what content they allow to be presented through their show. Just like reviews about movies, they never show a sex scene or a shooting scene, yet the MA15+ movies are rated and reviewed on shows such as Kerry Anne, Good morning australia, that show after sunrise, all these shows. to add to the sad story that is what we see happening with getting R18+, I watched the video of Senator Kate Lundy presenting the signatures in parliament, and to be quite frank, it was embarrassing. see for yourself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RMQsuoMPKc

i think its safe to say this isnt being taken seriously at all.
1 year ago
I work in the industry and the worst thing is that we will sometimes import games to be sold. Now they arrive to us with the 18 logo on it but we have to put a MA15+ sticker on it as their system is different. So our government is saying that games suitable for people only over the age of 18 are suitable for 15 years here. Ridiculous.
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