9 Nov 2009 | Uncategorized
Call of Duty is one of the biggest video games titles out there. In fact, it’s new edition: Modern Warfare 2, is expected to be one of the biggest selling games ever.
Call of Duty games are about war: hence, they tend to be, well, a bit violent. Because they’re war games. And war is violent. This revalation appears to have only just come to Labour MP Keith Vaz, who told the Daily Mail: “I am absolutely shocked by the level of violence in this game and am particularly concerned about how realistic the game itself looks.”
So far, so knee-jerk. But Vaz’s Labour colleague, Tom Watson MP, has reacted angrily to Vaz’s standpoint, and immediately set up a Facebook group called “Gamer’s Voice”, announcing: “Are you sick of UK newspapers and (my fellow) politicians beating up on gaming? So am I. The truth is, UK gamers need their own pressure group. I want to help you start one up.”
Keith Vaz is clearly shocked — shocked! — by games about war being a bit violent. Tom Watson’s clearly sick – sick! – of contrived outrage against games and gamers.
But who’s right? Only one way to find out…
9 Nov 2009 | Uncategorized
It really has got this bad. Several American publishers have told the Parliamentary Culture, Media and Sport committee that they’re considering withdrawing their publications from sale in the United Kingdom, as they fear becoming subject to libel proceedings in London.
We’re talking the New Yorker, US Vogue, the New York Times, Vanity Fair and others. Serious publications, with serious financial clout, all fast approaching the conclusion that our libel laws make it more trouble than its worth to publish in England.
Something’s got to give.
9 Nov 2009 | Uncategorized
The collapse of East Germany does not mean that West Germans have won the argument, says novelist Ingo Schulze. It’s time for a new debate
(more…)
5 Nov 2009 | Index Index, minipost, News and features
Launch of the Libel Reform campaign and the English PEN and Index on Censorship “Free Speech Is Not For Sale” report
12 – 2pm, 10th November 09. Light lunch provided.
Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road, EC1R 3GA
Index on Censorship and English PEN fear:
“We’re becoming a global free speech pariah”
“Our libel laws allow people accused of funding terrorism or dumping toxic waste in Africa to silence their critics whilst ‘super-injunctions’ stop the public from even knowing that such allegations exist. We need to reform our libel laws now, and that’s why we’re launching a national campaign to persuade our politicians to do so.”
Jonathan Heawood, Director of English PEN
“If we don’t act we’re at risk of becoming a global pariah. There are US States who view English libel law as so damaging to free speech they have passed laws to effectively block the decisions of English judges. Our report is an important milestone in modernising our antiquated and chilling approach to free expression.”
John Kampfner, the CEO of Index on Censorship
English PEN and Index on Censorship will be publishing their report on English libel law reform, and launching the Libel Reform campaign, at the Free Word Centre on 10 November.
English PEN and Index on Censorship have been looking into these issues in detail for over a year now and it has become increasingly clear that English libel law and the use of ‘super-injunctions’ are having a profoundly negative impact on freedom of expression, both in the UK and abroad. Writers such as Simon Singh, and respected current affairs programme Newsnight, have found themselves facing defamation suits, whilst human rights campaigners are often forced to edit and retract articles in the face of potential libel action.
The Libel Reform campaign will bring together Index on Censorship and English PEN to mount a national campaign with a website launched on 10 November to persuade politicians from all parties of the importance of reforming these unjust laws.
Update: Read the Independent’s interview with Index on Censorship’s John Kampfner here
