News 46 percent of children can buy M-rated games

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/11/22/46_percent_of_children_can_buy_m-rated_games/1

An American study has just been released which shows that almost half of all children trying to buy an M-rated game are able to do so.

 

Before every one starts jumping up a down, remeber the ratings system in the US is not legaly enforced there for there is no motivation not sell the product to a minor. Unlike in the UK where the BBFC classifications must should be enforced but just aren't.

 

I've allways been able, Doom 3 was the only game where they asked for ID..

 

They let me buy Doom 3 when I was the tender age of 14. No questions asked.

I am a regular in that certain game shop, but in many other game shops i havent had a problem either!

 

Think it's a lot more scrict here now, especially in big places i.e. HMV, I got asked for ID when I was 16 for an 18 game, even though I looked 18, it was the whole "you have to look 21 blah blah" policy.

 

What is the point trying to enforce anything when the child can just go online and order what they want, or do they ID children online aswell?

 

No, but that's where the parents are supposed to step in!

 

46 percent of parents don't give a crap.

and 100 percent of complete jerkoffs are legally allowed to produce offspring.

 

I had to get my dad out of work to buy me Duke Nukem 3d back in the day, and the guy at the store asked him if he knew the game was rated 18

 

when i was about 16 i got SOF from the super market and no one asked me for ID..... i had a beard at the time... so that helped, i think.

 

Since these buying activities are not under supervising, it's generally hard to control or make a 100 persent sure that every kid is banned from buying those unsuitable games.
A 14 years old child may looks as if he has already reached a mature age, the shopkeepers could not judge his age by eyes, directly asking he about age would avails little ('cause he can tell lies), and it's virtually inpractice to have the buyer to show up some vouchers to prove their ages.
So, if a kid badly wants a game, there's no way to stop him from getting it. The same rule is also applied to the pirated copy. If a person wants pirated copy of certain software, i think currently there's no way to prevent it.
All these things grow in the dark corner that lacks certain extent of supervising.

 

They're quite strict with age restrictions here in New Zealand. I remember going with my friend to get dungeon seige and it was R13. Even though we were in our high school uniforms they still wanted proof. They phoned my mum and asked my date of birth to see if it matched up with what I said. Pretty stupid imo, I've never known a 13yo kid to have ID.
Also, I've only been to one bar where they didn't ask for ID, they're supposed to ask unless you look over 25. I found it really odd lol, after being ID'd for every little thing for the past 6 years.

 

Of course, generally most kids (Especially the underage ones who are more the target of this) get their games by pulling on a parent's arm and saying "I want this one", which the parent then purchases for them. You know, so that electronic babysitter (The TV/Games console) doesn't start getting boring for the kids and they start wanting attention.

 

I'm incredibly strict in the store i work at - i always ask for ID if there is the slightest hint that they are below the rating on the box - that goes right down to the 12+ games.

I'm covering my own backside - I dont want to get a criminal record.

 

46% seems like a really high number, I have never found a store that would. Even one day before my 17th birthday they still made me bring my mom in to vouch for the fact that I could buy Oblivion. Gamestop, EB Games, Game Crazy and Best Buy are all really strict about this, but I suppose some smaller chains or non-chain shops might have more lax rules about it.

 

it doesnt sound so bad. I was able to buy alcohol a few times with my brothers birth certificate a few years back.

 

man.... i bought Half Life when i was 7 and wasn't asked for ID or anything.

 

Does Gamestation even exist in the US?