Remember when we reported that a Connecticut town was offering $25 vouchers to families who handed over their violent video games to be incinerated in a drive that was due to take place on 12th January? Well, that's not happening any more.
A spokesperson from the SouthingtonSOS has told Polygon that the group has "succeeded" in its program, and, as such, it no longer needs to go through with the physical destruction of the town's violent media, including video games, music, and movies.
"Our mission was to create strong awareness in Southington for parents and families and citizens and children," explained Dick Fortunato. "And we accomplished that. Our other objective was to promote discussion of violent video games and media with children and with the families at the home. And we've accomplished that in spades. So we deemed it became unnecessary to have the physical return on Saturday of violent games. Also because it would create an unnecessary amount of logistical details for us."
Since the drive's announcement, the program has received plenty of media coverage, though the feedback hasn't always been positive. The parenting editor at Common Sense Media described the destruction of violent video games as "censorship", while the chair of Texas A&M International University's psychology and communication department personally wrote to the SouthingtonSOS to warn them that the initiative could do "more harm than good".
[source polygon.com]
Comments 6
One of the funny things about this is that they are offering 25$ for your violent video games, right? God of War 3 costs like 15 bucks used at gamestop. Heck I would have sold mine to this drive and proceed to gamestop and get it again- with profit. I wonder if you were allowed to rinse and repeat?
@The3DSisMINE This was exactly my thought!
I'm glad they reached their goal without having to case a big stink. Have to agree with CSM about the censorship, it would have been no better than a book buring or similar actions. It would be better to sit down and explain to your children why its inappropriate and/or harmful for them so they actually understand it, rather than pull the rug out from under them and expect them to be happy and obedient.
So... they realized they didn't have the money to pay $25 per game?
And I don't see it as a "book burning" or "censorship". Police precints are always offering "guns for cash' programs, I see it more along those lines. They said they would break the games in half and toss them, there wasn't going to be a big game burning barnfire. It was aimed at parents and kids who no longer felt comfortable owning "Killzone" and wanted to get rid of it.
I hate government and censorship but as far as these things go it was presented as far more evil than ti was intended.
Hey, at least we're consistent... ; )
@rjejr I'm not trying to put it on the same level as book burning (probably should have worded that better), I was talking about how book burning is basically just destroying the offending material and expecting the problem to go away on its own. The issues at hand aren't gone you just buried them.
Your probably right about the way the situation was presented (not that I'm blaming anyone here).
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