Internet filter threatens Warcraft, Second Life

ONLINE games played by millions of Australians could be blocked by the Federal Government’s controversial new internet filter plan.
Existing laws that currently refuse classification, and therefore ban the sale of any games that exceed an MA15+ rating, will be rolled over to the internet filter under a proposal by the Government.

That means browser-based or downloaded games, or online roleplaying games such as the popular World of Warcraft, will be blocked in Australia if it contains content deemed inappropriate for anyone under the age of 15.

A spokesman for Senator Stephen Conroy said the ISP policy was just seeking to enforce current laws agreed by states and territories.

“The states and territories have not agreed to introduce an R18+ rating for computer games so, under existing laws, any game that exceeds an MA15+ rating is considered ‘Refused Classification’,” the spokesman said.

“The Government is interested in filtering RC material as identified by the Australian Communications and Media Authority complaints process.”

Games including Silent Hill, Sexy Poker and Necrovision have already been refused classification and will be blocked from Australian online gamers.

Purely online-based games, including World of Warcraft and Second Life, which haven’t been classified, will be blocked if the ACMA believes it contravenes the National Classification Code.

Under Conroy’s proposal, it would take only one complaint to the ACMA for WoW, played by 11.5 million gamers worldwide to be scrutinised and banned if it’s seen to “describe, depict, express or otherwise deal with matters or sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified.”

It is understood that very few complaints have been made to ACMA about online games and no complaint has ever been received about World of Warcraft or Second Life.