Play Violent Video Game In Venezuela... And Face Jailtime

from the that-seems-productive dept

Fri, Mar 5th 2010 1:33pm — Mike Masnick

Back at the end of last year, we wrote about how Venezuela has passed an anti-violent video game law, claiming that was what was causing violence in the country. Our post quoted someone in Venezuela explaining just how ridiculous this was. Well, now Slashdot points us to the news that Venezuela has officially begun enforcing the law, and it doesn't just ban the import, production or sale of such games -- as we'd heard originally -- but also the use. And, if you're caught doing any of those things, you can get two to five years in jail. Which do you think is likely to make someone more violent? Playing Modern Warfare 2 at home, or being sent to jail for two years?

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Filed Under: jail time, venezuela, violent video games

12 Comments

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vyvyan, 5 Mar 2010 @ 1:52pm

Will they sentence you for every instance of playing? or length of term based on headcount? You killed 100 people is FPS game, you get 200 years in jail.
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Violent Butterfly, 5 Mar 2010 @ 1:53pm

Heed the warning!
Stop playing violent video games and join a drug cartel. It's much safer since you'll have the fuzz paid off and cartels pay better than MW2.
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The Groove Tiger (profile), 5 Mar 2010 @ 2:06pm

This is yet another attempt from Hugo Chavez to make people forget the old days when he starred as Donkey Kong in a classic arcade game.

Keep the barrels coming, Hugo!
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Anton, 5 Mar 2010 @ 5:16pm

Nice
that's a great idea!
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Mar 2010 @ 5:43pm

Those who suffer from megalomania usually end up going off the deep end ... looks as though Hugo is not exempt.
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Patrina Cook (profile), 5 Mar 2010 @ 10:52pm

I am not pro violent games, but I think that going to jail for playing a violent game is a little bit extreme...
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Alethea, 6 Mar 2010 @ 6:16am

Has anyone considered that violent video games provide a healthy, acceptable outlet for stress and anger? *sigh*
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harbingerofdoom (profile), 6 Mar 2010 @ 7:37am

ah yes, Venezuela... that bastion of free speech and ideals.
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yozoo, 8 Mar 2010 @ 11:12am

If I was Chavez
I wouldnt my citizens playing arms simulators either
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GrandMasterBirt, 8 Mar 2010 @ 2:00pm

HA! So basically violence did not exist before violent video games eh? God I wish I knew what games the pope was playing back when he decided to begin the crusades.
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Price Per Head Sportsbook, 31 Jul 2010 @ 3:40am

venezuela
I'm glad Venezuela has such idiotic laws, this will cause a sympathy for the gaming industry. Games seem to be blamed for all the society's flaws and in my opinion they don't deserve to be used as scapegoats.
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Tedius Zanarukando, 15 Dec 2010 @ 5:32pm

Censorship is not the answer
That is the worst law ever enacted in Venezuela. I am absolutely opposed to the myth against violent video games. It is a bogus law. That law is violative of the United States Constitutional, so it should not be enacted in the United States. Video game censorship is not the answer to violence in society. I will never step foot in Venezuela, and Hugo Chavez is a dictator. Too many people serving time for bogus crimes usually end up in prison in conjunction with murderers and drug lords. Posession of violent video games or toys is just a bogus crime (or bonum sed prohibitum) in Venezuela. Prohibiting posession of violent video games is not the answer to violence in society. That law will do more harm than good. I hate bogus crime laws, and they must be repealed. We gamers must act now. The Entertainment Consumers Association must respond on behalf of the Venezuelan gaming populace. We must file a petition against this bogus law. Venezuela is a dictatorship, but that country no longer has the death penalty. Video games do not deserve to be used as scapegoats for society's ills. Censorship is not the answer to violence in society. Their next move is to regulate Internet media, and then motion pictures, and then all other forms of freedom of speech.
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