Notes

Minecraft Ban Reports Investigated By Microsoft

Minecraft bans are investigated by Microsoft By Kevin Rawlinson BBC News



11 March 2015



Microsoft Minecraft's owner is investigating reports that the Turkish government is planning to ban the game. The BBC is aware.



A Turkish Family and Social Policies Ministry study concluded that the game encouraged violence, according to local media.



There were conflicting reports on what steps the government was planning to take in response.



Some have suggested that it will request a court to ban the game, while others said it would ask Microsoft to modify it.



According to the Haberturk newspaper the report of the ministry reads: "Although the game can be seen as encouraging imagination in children through permitting them to build bridges, farms, and houses, mobs [hostile creatures] must be killed in order to defend these structures. The game is based on violence.



'Social isolation'



The report stated that some children may confuse Minecraft with reality and be misled into believing that torturing animals isn't causing any pain, the newspaper said.



It said the report was based on the experiences of a nine-year-old , and suggested playing Minecraft could lead to "social isolation".



Haberturk reported the department's legal affairs division of the ministry had been instructed to take the first steps toward banning Minecraft.



According to Fatih Oke (a spokesperson for the Turkish Embassy in Washington DC), a ban is "out of the question".



Christian Science Monitor was told by Mr Oke that there was no ban.



"The game is not banned and will not be banned.



The Family and Social Policy Ministry doesn't have the authority to ban any product.



"I know that this is what was said in the Turkish media, however, it is incorrect.



"The ministry is only able to deal with complaints.



"In this instance I've been told there were many complaints from parents regarding Minecraft and its influence on children.



"The purpose of this ministry is to raise awareness."



The government is not able to ban the game unilaterally, but it could convince that a court.



Although Turkey isn't well-known for banning computer gaming However, there have been a few websites shut down in recent times.



In the year before both YouTube and Twitter were temporarily blocked. Facebook had to block certain websites that slammed the Prophet Muhammad in January.



'Creative freedom'



A spokesperson for Mojang which produces Minecraft under the Microsoft umbrella after Microsoft purchased the game for $2.5bn (PS1.68bn) in September 2014, declined to respond directly to the reports.



He also said that "Minecraft is enjoyed in many ways by a variety of players."



"Many are enthralled by the freedom of creativity that's presented by Minecraft and its tools, but some prefer the opportunity to explore an unexplored landscape and to embark on thrilling adventures with their friends.



"We encourage players to cooperate in order to achieve success, whether they're building, exploring or adventuring.



"The Minecraft world can be dangerousbecause it's home to terrifying, genderless monsters that appear at night.



"It may be necessary for them to survive.



"If people find this level of fantasy conflict upsetting We would suggest they to play in Creative Mode, or to enable the Peaceful setting.
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"Both of these options will prevent monsters from appearing everywhere in the globe."



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26 January 2015



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3 April 2014


Website: https://icdama.com/