General Synod Passes Violent Video Games Motion News

The General Synod passed a motion yesterday surrounding violent video games.  A number of amendments to the original motion were made to acknowledge changes to the regulatory system since the Byron Report, but the motion upheld many of the points originally outlined and was passed unanimously with 168 votes in favour with no abstentions.

"A bubbling sewer of gratuitous violent and sexual pornography DVD games are washing all around us," Mr Thomas Benyon announced to the General Synod.  "Whilst we're pleased that Her Majesty initiated the Byron report, as I say, I don't think it went far enough."

"Byron relied upon the proposition that parents have a liability or are interested in controlling what their children do, we think sadly that is optimistic and a pious hope."

The motion with amendments passed included the following points:

(a) express concern about the potentially desensitising and damaging effect upon children, young people and vulnerable adults of computer games containing gratuitous violent and sexual content;

(b) congratulate HM Government on the action it has taken to date in response to the Byron Review;

(c) call upon HM Government to continue to keep under review the regulatory system for advertising video games to prevent  the targeting of children, young people and vulnerable adults with unsuitable material;

(d) declare its support for all those, especially carers, working through research, education and public information, to prevent children, young people and vulnerable adults from being damaged by video and computer games and similar material; and

(e) request the MPA Division to continue to monitor developments in this area.'

Benyon moved on to talk about a DVD containing footage, which allegedly demonstrated, "the burning and killing of a women in fatality, the sawing up of a women in a game called Mortal Kombat, playing football with severed heads, a chainsaw killing of a man in SAW 3, rape, torture and so on..."

"As I say, I've got all of these games collected on this DVD and if anybody's encouraged to watch it I would be pleased to let them have it, unlike the industry I will let you have it for free," Beyon concluded.

TVG has sought to distinguish exactly what footage was contained on the DVD, however our requests have yet to offer any further clarification.  TVG listened to the motion in full and was surprised to discover a broad range of mediums being discussed, in a discussion that is clearly targeting video games specifically.

"We're in a great muddle over regulation and the cost of this muddle is seen in the rising crime statistics year on year," Benyon later noted.  "And I'll bet you anything you like that the manufactures of these appalling DVDs do not let their children see them."

Benyon moved on to talk about the consequences of violent video games and scientific links apparent in the real world.

"In the recent Edlington case apparently the boys who committed the crime had seen the so called Chucky horror movies and violent video games, this terrible crime echoed the Bulger murder.

"Nottingham University's Professor Kevin Browne said, 'The chances of these boys committing such a horrendous crime would definitely increase by watching violent and pornographic games at home'," Benyon added.

The motion cited further alleged consequences of violent video games, including: damage relationships profoundly, undermine the vital role of the family unit, emotional and physical harm.

"Young people who are exposed to this sort of material for only a short time show an increased in subsequent aggressive behaviour," Benyon added.  "They show more violence to their teachers, they argue with authoritative figures and they fight with fellow pupils."

Citing Professor Brown of Nottingham University once again: 'The combination of growing up in a violent family, witnessing violence on the screen appears to increase the probability of committing violent offences'.

The motion questioned whether regulations work despite the improvements recommended in the Byron Report.

"The British Board of Film Classification see their role as advisory only, and astonishingly apparently are cutting only 3% of material.  They now release films amazingly with previously cut material restored," Benyon claimed.  "The films I've collected in this DVD clearly come under this category.  I fear that with no evidence to show that improved information, with better signposting and warnings will make any difference whatsoever, if only because the parents who need such warnings are the very types least likely to use them."

"There are reports from the games industry, well financed of course, that deny games are a causative factor in crimes.  As the exotic Mandy Rice-Davies once memorably said on another occasion, 'Well they would say that wouldn't they'.

The motion didn't appear to provide a solution to the issue, but did seem to signal a demand for the "punitive industry" to stop "corrupting the young and vulnerable".

"The problems are easy to identify," Benyon noted.  "Of course the solutions come rather harder."

"It's not just a matter of conscience and morality, it's a public health and economic issue and I suspect one of the problems at the root of all this is our difficulty in our society, which now relies on relative values, for us to come out firmly and say what is right and what is wrong.

And it is my view that these are absolutely wrong, and it is absolutely right for us as a Synod to say this is absolutely wrong."

"What can we do?" Benyon posed.  "We can send a strong message of disquiet about this punitive industry that's corrupting the young and vulnerable.  This message will be endorsed by other faith communities, they will know they're not alone in expressing dismay at society's propensity to downward drift, compromise and decay that appears to be galloping across generations."

The motion concluded with a strong statement of intent not to support the industry, or at least those who purvey gross material.

"We've encouraged parliament to restore proper regulations of film and games and seek to limit the distribution of harmful material," Benyon added.  "The Synod should request that church commissioners redouble their efforts to ensure no church money is invested in the business that produce or distribute gross material, either in the UK or overseas."

"And with respect to them, they may want to consider that these companies are highly sophisticated, they're making a good deal of money from selling this material and the commission should look for the subsidiaries of apparently respected companies that are hidden behind the glossy facades.  If they're found then please sell the shares in the main company.

Synod will be speaking up for the well being of our young people who are being led astray and sending a clear message that this is the case."

TVG has sought ELSPA's comments on the motion but has yet to hear back from the UK's governing body.