Censored

Its not recent news but it’s been on my mind for a while. Recently the BBFC banned a game, Manhunt 2. While this doesn't initially bother me (Wasn't a big fan of the 1st manhunt) it does make me think that we really should start considering what role we want the BBFC to have. There was an idea in a Christopher Brookmyre novel (Country of the Blind) of an EU bill to standardise ratings across Europe, basically meaning if a film received its rating in France, all the BBFC could do was give it a rating, not ask for cuts or ban. While fictitious this is the role I would prefer the BBFC to have, to award ratings not ban, as adults we should be allowed to decide what stimuli we are exposed to in our private lives. Obviously certain things would still be illegal, Torture, Snuff, child pornography and things of that ilk, in short anything that would be illegal to do in your own home which isn't simulated (so no real murder or torture, but lets not go banning 24)Obviously in backing this heavier enforcement must come for the actual age ratings, including a possible 21 rating, to prevent those deemed by the new advisory BBFC as too young for some content from seeing it, particularly when it comes to computer games. There are far too many parents who still believe that games are for kids, and that there is no real way a game should have an 18 rating. After all, it’s only a game. Both parents and retailers should be penalised for allowing kids to play/watch things outside of their advised rating.The actual issue of parents allowing kids 18 rated games I feel may heavily reduce with my generation having children. Many of us grew up through the 1980s and we are the first generation where games grew up with us. There were very few 18 rated games out before I was 18 (Some of the old CDi, 3DO etc titles used titillating FMV) and as a result I am now aware of the level of realism and interactivity in today’s titles, something a parent currently in their mid to late 30s may not.Overall as adults we should be able to judge what we can cope with, and I think as a nation we are grown up enough not to have need of a board of "Experts" deciding what we can and can't watch.