YouthNet blog
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Thursday Feb 16, 2006
Grafitti game banned in Australia
The most interesting point for me here is its illustration of the generation
"Based on information provided on the Office of Film and LiteratureClassification website, calculations show that the average age of thefour board members who presided over this decision is 43.5 years."At the risk of being criticised of rampant ageism, what chance does this group have of viewing this game in the context of all the other youth culture the potential players are submerged in? Most gamers are sensible, savvy people who are able to make the simple distinction between gaming escapism and real life. Aren't they?
Update: It may be 'ultra violent' as The Sun says, but Grand Theft Auto has been judged a top 10 British icon.
Sonic teenage deterrent
The Daily Telegraph writes about a new technology designed to keep teenagers away: a gadget emitting an ultra high-pitched noise heard only by those of us who haven't started losing our hearing due to old age, which means 90% of people under 20. Nicknamed the Mosquito, the Sonic Teenage Deterrent (I haven't figured out whether that's copyrighted yet) is allegedly supported by police, local authorities and various businesses alarmed by supposed loiterers.
This is almost funny. But the implications seem quite frightening, and while I've never owned or managed a shopfront business or walked a police beat, it does seem to me another way of demonising young people and an attempt to sanitise our streets.
Posted by Kirsten Olson ( 1:14 PM ) Link to this post Comments[1]Tescopoly takes the fight to Tesco
An alliance of campaigners, trade unionists, environmentalists and charities opposed to Tesco have launched a website (Tescopoly) attacking Tesco's trading practices and the consequences they have on so many different levels.It's great to see a visible alliance reflecting the groundswell ofpublic opinion on this - hopefully it will encourage us to changethe way we buy.
Tesco's response to the site is interesting:
"In our experience, these groups do not represent the views of most ordinary people. . . All we ask is that these groups recognise people have a choice and how they exercise that choice should not be dictated by regulation."
At least they're not burying their heads in the sand then. Posted by Sam Thomas ( 11:24 AM ) Link to this post Comments[0]
