[games_access] UN Convention -> national rights?

[Tara Tefertiller]

Sandra,

I agree with what Michelle said. The political climate is very  
hostile towards video games here- and video games have already been a  
hot issue because California introduced new laws involving  
prohibiting selling violent video games to minors. It's a huge deal  
because the companies are claiming there is a violation of their  
freedom of speech. I think the last thing we should be doing state  
side is push for an accessibility law. As much as I would love for  
there to be one I really feel it would somehow be misconstrued and  
get a lot of political backlash, or open the door for legislation we  
don't want passed to be passed in regards to video games.

One of the big questions that an accessibility law would have to  
address is are video games a public activity or a private activity?  
And what are the consequences of being considered in each domain- not  
just for accessibility issues, but for the gaming industry as a whole.

And I definitely would not talk to any one about what type of laws  
should be imposed with out first talking to a legal expert- most  
likely an experience lawyer.

-Tara


On Oct 30, 2010, at 9:58 AM, Michelle Hinn wrote:

> Hey Sandra,
>
> We do have some laws but the trouble is that the ones we have are  
> more focused on equal opportunity in the workplace for the disabled  
> and such. Given that years ago a law passed requiring "open  
> captioning" (the captions are either on the back of a movie theatre  
> chair or on a hand held device) for people who are deaf that has  
> MAYBE only happened in a handful of movie theaters in the country,  
> I don't have much hope that a law requiring videogame accessibility  
> would ever happen. As I said, the movie industry has to provide the  
> open captioning YET no on enforces it...
>
> And our political climate right now is getting very hostile towards  
> videogames, especially as our mid-term elections are in just a few  
> days -- the more conservative that get into office tend to see  
> videogames ONLY as evil -- they would rather them not exist at all  
> for anyone, not just the disabled.
>
> Michelle
>
> On Oct 30, 2010, at 8:27 AM, Sandra Uhling wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> the UN Convention is great. But at the moment it is only for the  
>> states.
>> The states have to change their national laws that it effects also
>> companies.
>>
>> At the moment we have the possibility to give some feedbacks for  
>> the German
>> action plan.
>> What kind of law do we need that it effects also companies?
>>
>> E.g. PS3 console and not accepting special controller
>>
>> How should a law look like that the gamer can request an update  
>> because they
>> are discriminated?
>> It is also important that this will work, also when there are  
>> mistakes in
>> the request.
>>
>> Someone an idea?
>>
>>
>>
>> Best regards,
>> Sandra
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> games_access mailing list
>> games_access at igda.org
>> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access
>
> _______________________________________________
> games_access mailing list
> games_access at igda.org
> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/games_access