Ethical Responsibility of Video Games.

Video games has been “the big thing” for years. The video game GTA is a game where everyone contributed to develop it over several years, as a kid and until teenage years. Rockstar Games designed Grand theft Auto V. The game involves around three criminals living in San Andreas getting associated with mission identified with shooting steeling and driving while they get away from authorities. GTA V is appreciated by numerous and is look upon among the best video games of all time. This positive feedback is due to the limitless surrounding that GTA V provides, The player sense they are in an open area rather than a game, and this what makes the player committed to GTA V. The element executed throughout the game such as joining gang add a feeling of excitement particularly with the new version. All the new component produced in the city is made to encourage the player to come again. Yet, there were a lot of debate about how the game portrays women, race and violence (Hoggins, 2013). Parents have a significant role in criticizing GTA V. They feel responsible for whatever harm may be caused because of the viscousness and the ideologies in GTA V. This game gives freedom to player to have violent weapon and to utilize them. This matter is something to be worried about. For instance the main character Trevor Philips addresses Mr K. He utilizes violent weapon which the gamer have the option to pick from a table to retrieve information from Mr.K. After that the FBI tells the player to murder the person (Sliva, 2013). In Addition women are undermined in the game and depicted as sexual objects, enabling the players to interact with stripper and nude them. Therefore, UK, Australia and Japan banned GTA V. It is difficult to not admit the effect GTA V has had on society. Its purpose is to implement ideologies of violence, nudity and sexism has always been not acceptable in the real life we live in.

Freedom of speech is a fundamental human right that appreciates self- assurance (Greenawalt, 2005). It is obviously the right of the game maker to choose what he or she wishes to deliver. Still it is very important to observe where this freedom crosses the line. We have seen several films or Tv that actuate hate, pornography, criminal acts and other sensitive topic that became later a piece of our reality. Yet the important question addressed here is what differentiate harm from free speech and where should censorship be applied ? To answer the question, it is important to understand that censorship works differently in each country. For instance Media in the US is censored if there is any harm (Packyard, 2013). But in Lebanon its based on the religious, emotional, racial, national and sexual contention the government sees.

Many game producer faces a situation where they must find a balance between their freedom of speech and creativity and the outcomes their decision of content may have on gamers (Takahashi, 2014). This power of producers distributing to a huge amount of consumer and gamer leads to a rating system based on the content of the game (Mathews, 2015). The rating technique is a way to protect producers from critics and censorship attacking their content. It also introduces what is the content of the game that the users are going to play. For what reason is that important ? A fascinating case showed up while checking cases corresponding the link between children and the sort of games they play. The case was about two young gamer slaughtered 12 student a teacher and themselves in Columbia High School In Colorado (Freedman, n.d). These cases are an example of how violent game might affect our real world and cause aggression and a dangerous environment for our kids. Again the problem here isn’t simply violence yet the objective behind this violence. Violence in video games desensitises children and encourage them to get involved into violence. This is the main problem.

It appears that numerous individuals watching violence in the media causes them to being aggressive, on the other hand video games have a greater impact, without a doubt, so the logic is that you are the controller of the character engaging in many violent act and watching them die and go through agony. This of course will have a harmful on the individuals who play. It tells them them that brutality and violence is acceptable, and leads them to being aggressive. The game producer, regardless of how much he is ethical will care eventually about profits.

To conclude, the choice to censor or not a video game need to be studied thoroughly. However after reviewing games. The goal of these game is to justify violence in every aspect. And if this is projected in our society then we are in danger and the freedom of speech discussed becomes a weapon that will will harm us.

Reference :

Ethics in Game Design. (n.d.). Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://work.chron.com/ethics-game-design-22838.html

Freedman. (n.d). Evaluating the Research on Violent Video Games. Retrieved from https://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/sites/culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/files/freedman.pdf

Harding, A. (n.d.). Violent video games linked to child aggression. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://edition.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/11/03/healthmag.violent.video.kids/index.html

Makuch, E. (2014, December 03). GTA 5 “Violence Against Women” Criticisms Spurs Ban by Australian Retailer. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-5-violence-against-women-criticisms-spurs-ban-/1100-6423950/?comment_page=15

Sliva, M. (2013, October 14). NYCC: How GTA 5’s Trevor Views the Controversial Torture Scene. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/14/nycc-how-gta-5s-trevor-views-the-controversial-torture-scene-

Suellentrop, C. (2013, September 16). Grand Theft Auto V Is a Return to the Comedy of Violence. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/arts/video-games/grand-theft-auto-v-is-a-return-to-the-comedy-of-violence.html

Mathews, R. (n.d.). Ethical Responsibility of Video Game Manufacturers. Demand Media.

Retrieved from https://www.chron.com/

Packard, A. (n.d.). Digital Media Law / Edition 2. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/digital-media-law-packard/1101187385