Child protection body says website gag ‘trivialises’ sexual abuse
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has called on Rockstar to remove a joke ‘paedophile’ website from GTA IV.
As reported by MCV earlier this week, some fans of the game had become uncomfortable with a ‘cheat’, which let them log onto a banned in-game website at www.littlelacysurprisepageant.com.
Once they bring up the URL, they are presented with a screen from the police saying ‘"We see it all. We know it all." In addition, their criminal ‘wanted’ rating hits the maximum five stars.
Zoe Hilton, the NSPCC's policy co-ordinator for child protection, told The Telegraph that the feature was inappropriate and trivialised the tragedy caused by paedophilia.
"It is disturbing that it is meant to be funny and that it is glamorising something that is actually really shocking and upsetting," she said.
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"I just think it is in very poor taste and they should withdraw it."
Importantly, there is no suggestion GTA IV contains any paedophilic content.
Comments
:(
I don't have the energy for this today, its a friday, the weather isn't too bad and i'm off for the weekend soon. There will always be two sides to this argument, the innevitable truth however is that whats funny to me may not be funny to everyone else ... does that mean im not allowed to laugh in case i offend someone?...gimme a break.
Going too far.
This is way out of hand. If you buy a game with an '18' age rating you should expect the content to include 'dark humor' I myself find that the website is a nice little easter egg, nothing more nothing less, The player doesn't have to go the website and i bet 9/10 players wouldn't find the website if they just played through the game.
Re: :(
"the feature was inappropriate and trivialised the tragedy caused by paedophilia."
No, the tabloid press trivialises & sensationalises the tragedy caused by paedophilia, as they do with many of the other unsavoury sides of life.
Re: Re: :(
Hello all, as it's Friday...
I think the NSPCC should at least be commended for realising that the website was "meant to be funny", rather than anything more noxious. And, of course, it's a body that does great work for millions of young people living the most unfortunate of lives.
The Sun on the other hand... Well, you tell us.
Have a great weekend all.
Tim
Re: Re: Re: :(
The game also trivialises prostitution, cop killing, murder, drink driving, violence to women, homophobia etc...
Re: Re: Re: Re: :(
@3: good point
@4: when this article is 60 comments long filled with ppl flaming the Sun newspaper we will all know who started the fire ... and who to give the medal to :)
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The joke is on the authorities who make such a fuss over nothing. How can the NSPCC say GTA is trivializing pedophilia when the browser displays ‘"We see it all. We know it all." and your wanted level goes to max, if anything GTA is enforcing the idea that the police will destroy you for even going to the web site (unless of course you get to a pay & spray ASAP). What good will come of removing the content from the game now that the whole world knows its there?? At least the guys over at Rockstar got the reaction they wanted; a damn media frenzy. I hope Rockstar continue to make digs at society and its small mindedness just to get the outrageous reactions from the government and media.
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