Phil Elliott
15:42 (BST)
14/03/2008
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DCMS: Manhunt 2 a BBFC/VAC matter
Government stresses no evidence of link between videogames and real life violence
The UK government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport has told GamesIndustry.biz that it has no plans at the moment to intervene in the planned release of Manhunt 2 in the UK.
"The classification of Manhunt 2 is a matter for the BBFC and the Video Appeals Committee," said a spokesperson, after today's news that the VAC had reaffirmed its decision to back Rockstar in an appeal over the BBFC's refusal to certify the game.
"It is important to note that there is no conclusive evidence of any link between playing computer games and violent behaviour in real life," the spokesperson continued. "Our concern is to make sure that inappropriate material is kept away from children.
"The Prime Minister asked Dr Tanya Byron to lead a review to assess the effectiveness and adequacy of existing measures to help prevent children from being exposed to harmful or inappropriate material in videogames and on the internet, and to make recommendations for improvements or additional action.
"Dr Byron's review will be published shortly and Ministers will give careful consideration to any recommendations then."
A CMS Select Committee is also looking into violence in videogames and on the internet, while the Prime Minister recently met with anti-games campaigner Keith Vaz MP, and the mother of Stefan Pakeerah, a teenager whose murder in 2004 is often wrongly linked to the original Manhunt title.
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