Home affairs minister Brendan O’Conner has called for regulations on motion controlled-consoles, such as the Nintendo Wii, saying they could have a damaging effect on their users.
“Computer game manufacturers encourage users to put down their control pads and participate physically in a game through motion-sensing technology,” he said.”These interactive features are set to increase the impact of the material being enjoyed by consumers.”
“We need to consider how increased interactivity will impact on children and what this means for content regulation.”
Speaking at a conference run by the Australian Council on Children and the Media, O’Conner raised concerns about how imitating some movements, like gunshots, could be damaging to young children.
Other speakers included Professor Craig Anderson from the Iowa State University Centre for the Study of Violence, an outspoken critic of violent video games.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
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