New York initiative removes sex offenders from online gaming services

New York teams with major game publishers to purge the online accounts of more than 3,500 registered sex offenders.

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The internet is now just a little bit safer for children playing online games, thanks to the efforts of seven major game publishers and the New York Attorney General's office to purge the online accounts of registered sex offenders.

"Operation: Game Over," the nickname of the initiative by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, used the New York sex offender rolls and compared them to the list of online video game accounts of Blizzard, Disney, Electronic Arts, Warner Bros., Microsoft, Sony and Apple. More than 3,500 accounts were successfully removed from the game companies' databases.

A press release announcing the effort reminded parents that games and consoles have the capability of connecting with people all over the world, and that parental controls exist for those systems. "Password-protected "family settings" on many online gaming platforms allow parents to restrict Internet access, track content and monitor contacts," the release said.

As a PSA from the Shack (OK, I'm a parent, too), monitor your kids' activities online and don't use computers or consoles as babysitters. Also be sure to follow pay attention to the ESRB game ratings to be aware of game content your child may be exposed to. /psa

Contributing Editor
From The Chatty
  • reply
    April 6, 2012 1:15 PM

    John Keefer posted a new article, New York initiative removes sex offenders from online gaming services.

    New York teams with major game publishers to purge the online accounts of more than 3,500 registered sex offenders.

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      April 6, 2012 1:18 PM

      poor guy who got wasted and peed in an alley at 3am

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        April 6, 2012 3:04 PM

        I think it's wrong even for the actual sex offenders. If murderers are allowed to play Call of Duty then sex offenders should be allowed to play Second Life or whatever.

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        April 6, 2012 7:58 PM

        NY has different laws, peeing in an alley won't get you listed. Pretty much everyone I know has peed on a NY street at one point in their life.

        California on the otherhand, you are gambling...

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          April 6, 2012 8:52 PM

          San Fran just recently made it a crime to shit on the sidewalk. I think you're ok to pee freely there.

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      April 6, 2012 1:49 PM

      now thats classy NY !

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      April 6, 2012 1:56 PM

      Murderers carry on as usual please.

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      April 6, 2012 2:50 PM

      This is the biggest pile of bull shit. Sex offender laws in the country are retarded. As someone else mentioned if you take a piss in public you can become a sex offender. If the person has their rights back from doing their time or whatever this shouldn't be allowed at all.

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      April 6, 2012 3:25 PM

      Im all for punishing legitimate sex offenders, but it's a well known secret that there are a lot of people that don't deserve to be on that list, and they don't deserve this.

      Another failure by the less than good american justice system.

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      April 6, 2012 3:31 PM

      This is fucking ridiculous and idiotic. Yeah Xbox Live sure is a new age playground for pedophiles to prey on kids...except its not. Its simply about responsible parenting here.

      Also the thing that is upsetting to me is that it's a win win for companies like Microsoft, Apple, EA, etc. to do this because anyone who opposes this inevitably looks like they are pro child rape. Just a really stupid and pointless initiative that gets good PR.

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        April 6, 2012 7:47 PM

        Its a subtle way of saying 'hey registered sex offenders, nothing left to do but KILL YOURSELVES"

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      April 6, 2012 3:36 PM

      Sex offenders having a hobby? Better ban them so they can go molest children.

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      April 6, 2012 3:43 PM

      I can see doing this for games rated C - T in games designed for kids. The problem is with Mature+ games where kids aren't supposed to be even playing. There isn't any distinction of ratings.

      What is going to stop the sex offenders from repurchasing the games under a different online alias. The problem isn't going to be solved this easy by simply deleting their accounts.

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      April 6, 2012 4:00 PM

      Man this is creepy. Its political suicide to oppose either A) tougher restrictions on sex offenders or B) broadening the definition of the sex offender designation. This is not headed in a reasonable direction.

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      April 6, 2012 4:09 PM

      great plan. whats better than having a bunch of sex offenders with a lot more free time...

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      April 6, 2012 4:32 PM

      TBH I think it's more than a little scary how if you end up on that registry you are basically an unperson. You have almost no rights whatsoever.

      I'm not one for letting off child molesters and rapists obviously, but deleting the Xbox Live or Steam accounts of everyone on the registry is pretty damn creepy.

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        April 6, 2012 5:06 PM

        Yeah, I saw Apple on that list. Are they purging them from iTunes/AppStore accounts, too? That seems a bit much.

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      April 6, 2012 5:12 PM

      Im all for punishing the kiddy-diddlers, but this seems a bit drastic. It just proves that some people still see video games as a "kid thing."

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        April 6, 2012 5:28 PM

        Less kid thing more political people trying to look tough on crime

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          April 7, 2012 12:40 AM

          No, I think the focus on video games is making it a "think of the children" thing. Which is bullshit.

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            April 7, 2012 12:49 AM

            Tough on crime in this case kind of plays into think of the children. But i agree.

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      April 6, 2012 5:15 PM

      Can someone define sex offender? Lets replace that sentence with what they really did so we can understand it better.

      Oh wait we cant as it feels good to have people fill in the blanks and shit all over the rights of others.

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      April 6, 2012 5:26 PM

      [deleted]

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      April 6, 2012 8:15 PM

      Wow, cant believe so many people crying about this like its a bad thing. Were either seeing the emerging of sex offenders in the comments, or the emerging or idiots. But since this is the comments section of a website, its probably both.

      As a 29 year old parent, I can say two things: Good, I'm glad registered sex offenders cant communicate with children. And #2? Yeah you can be listed as a sex offender for peeing in public? Good, you know why? Cause if that wasnt a law, every sick fuck that would be getting off to having people watch him piss on the side walk would be doing it.

      Jesus people think about it. Youre crying cause this might apply to you cause you like to piss around other people?

      I like to drink. I get drunk. I dont piss outside cause A) its illegal and B) thats what mcdonalds and 24 hour taco bells are for. I dont care how drunk you are, I hope all you pedophiles and public pissers gets your accounts banned.

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        April 6, 2012 8:19 PM

        Ah, the righteous anger of someone who didn't use a condom. Awesome.

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          April 8, 2012 11:46 AM

          So everyone who has children is some idiot who didn't use a condom? I suppose all pregancies are accidents eh?

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        April 6, 2012 8:23 PM

        [deleted]

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        April 6, 2012 8:29 PM

        HAHA YOU HAD A TYPO. YOU ARE IDIOT!

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        April 6, 2012 8:30 PM

        everyone look at this poster making a fool of himself!

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        April 6, 2012 10:40 PM

        So "I want to force myself upon children" = "Fuck dude I had way too much to drink I need to piss"

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        April 7, 2012 12:38 AM

        Who says they are communicating with children? Not all people with a sex offender label did something to a kid. Shit, some people get it because they were caught soliciting a prostitute. Maybe they just want to play videogames at home like the rest of us. And here in Portland, peeing in public is legal.

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        April 7, 2012 1:49 AM

        You had me until number 2. I seriously doubt if they laxed the laws on public urination to simple public disorderly conduct you would see a slew of weirdoes pissing in the wind to show off their bits to whoever was passing by.

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        April 7, 2012 6:37 AM

        [deleted]

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        April 7, 2012 6:39 AM

        [deleted]

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        April 7, 2012 6:48 AM

        Your kids should be removed.

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        April 7, 2012 6:49 AM

        You're right. In fact, I think it's not hard enough! We should also ban any criminals from watching films too! I don't want those demonic fucks getting any ideas!

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          April 7, 2012 6:53 AM

          Also, in a number of major cities here in the UK, we have temporary pissing booths/troughs right on the street for drunken people. Yet, for some unknowable reason, they've haven't started jacking each other off or shouting "I WANT YOU'RE CHILDREN!" while releasing their bladders.

          I'm confused, could you tell me why they haven't started doing these depraved things? Because I was expecting it to happen, but it didn't! It's almost like most people are reasonable or something! THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT!!! I think I'm going to find a corner to hide in with my hammer, in case anyone gets close to me.

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        April 7, 2012 6:57 AM

        You are absolutely crazy, quick someone ban this guy from chatting to people on WoW!

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        April 7, 2012 6:17 PM

        [deleted]

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          April 9, 2012 8:10 AM

          He doesn't step on cracks to keep his mother's back intact, too.

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        April 9, 2012 2:36 AM

        I'm sure the Jesus people are thinking about it and not particularly liking this initiative.

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      April 6, 2012 8:36 PM

      Shill!

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      April 7, 2012 12:48 AM

      luckily I'm still under the radar

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      April 7, 2012 2:15 AM

      and whats to stop them from making new accounts?

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      April 7, 2012 2:40 AM

      Good, now they have to go to an arcade instead.

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      April 7, 2012 6:32 AM

      It looks like the registerable offenses are pretty serious, almost all felonies. You aren't going to get banned from Xbox Live for public urination. http://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/nsor/sortab1.htm

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