Imagine watching an action flick with adrenaline-fueled car
chases, gory gunfights and in-your-face explosions, rated R for its
graphic violence and sexual innuendo.
Now pretend that a bootlegged Internet copy of this film
contained the graphic sex scenes cut from the studio’s
version. Would you change the rating of the official release to
NC-17 because of the bootleg or hold the movie studio accountable
for the bootlegger’s actions?
Neither would be acceptable, but both have happened in the video
game world.
The popular but ever-controversial game “Grand Theft Auto:
San Andreas” has been the center of unreasonable political
attention in the last couple weeks.
The official version of the game is violent and has suggestive
encounters with prostitutes. Recently, media watchdog groups
discovered that hackers released software to modify the game to
include the original sexually explicit content.
Known as the “hot coffee mod,” this code tweaks the
game to reveal content programmed into the game that was
intentionally blocked.
Under heavy pressure, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board
launched an investigation into whether the game’s Mature
rating was appropriate.
The M rating is essentially equivalent to an R rating in the
movie industry. Nonetheless, some retailers will sell this software
to those who are under the approved age.
On July 20, after an outcry from media watchdogs and
underinformed members of Congress, the ESRB changed the rating of
this video game from M to Adults Only, the equivalent of the movie
rating NC-17.
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., the owners of the
subsidiary company that makes “Grand Theft Auto,” has
suffered substantially as a result. Many retailers, including Best
Buy, Target and Wal-Mart, will not carry games rated AO.
Take-Two also announced that they will cease production of the
game until they can fix the problem. The stock value of Take-Two
dropped significantly because they had to release revised revenue
estimates that forecast a quarterly loss of 35 cents more per share
than anticipated.
This is all just another case of our government sticking its
nose where it shouldn’t be. Currently, like with movies and
TV, getting a game rated is on a voluntary basis.
But in a press conference, Sen. Hillary Clinton announced she
would introduce legislation to legally regulate ratings in the
video game industry and heavily fine retailers who sell games rated
M or AO to minors.
Recall the bootlegged movie. The victim is being blamed for the
crime.
In America it is illegal to modify the code of copyright
software without permission. Although Take-Two spokesman Jim Ankner
announced to the Associated Press that the sexual content is in the
official release, this content was never meant to be seen.
You have to download a hack that changes the licensed version to
allow you to see it. Just as in film, it is standard practice in
the software industry to write more code than will actually be used
and then cut out what is unwanted by hiding the relevant code.
Take-Two should not be held responsible for the actions of
programmers not working on their behalf, especially when those
programmers are posting software that makes unauthorized
changes.
Otherwise, Microsoft should be held responsible for every
programmer who writes virus code.
Simlar is a fourth-year sociology and anthropology
student.