Notes

Minecraft Ban Reports Investigated By Microsoft

Minecraft ban reports investigated by Microsoft By Kevin Rawlinson BBC News



11 March 2015



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



According to local media, a research conducted by the Turkish Family and Social Policies Ministry found that the game promoted violence.



There were conflicting reports about what the government planned to accomplish.



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


According to the Haberturk newspaper, the ministry's report said: "Although the game can be seen as a way of encouraging creativity in children by letting them build bridges, farms and houses mobs of hostile creatures must be killed to defend these structures. In essence, the game is based on violence."



'Social isolation'



The report stated that some children might confuse Minecraft with reality and believe that torturing animals isn't causing any pain, the newspaper said.



It added the report was based on the personal experience of a nine-year-old and suggested that playing Minecraft could cause "social isolation".



Haberturk said that the department of legal affairs at the ministry was given the task of taking the first steps to ban Minecraft.



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



Mr. Oke stated to Christian Science Monitor: "There is no ban.



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



The Family and Social Policy Ministry does not have that kind of authority to ban any product.



"I know that this is what has been said in the Turkish media However, it's not true.



"The ministry is only able to deal on complaints.



"In this instance, I was told that there were numerous complaints from parents about Minecraft's influence on children.



"The ministry's function is to spread awareness."



The government cannot stop the game on its own however it could persuade a court.



While Turkey is not known for its ban on computer games some websites have been removed recently.



Last year, both YouTube and Twitter were temporarily blocked. Facebook had to block certain pages that insulted the Prophet Muhammad in January.



'Creative freedom'



A spokesperson for Mojang who makes Minecraft under the Microsoft umbrella after the latter bought the game for $2.5bn (PS1.68bn) in September 2014, would not respond directly to the reports.



He said: "Minecraft is enjoyed by many players in a wide range of ways.



"Many are enthralled by the freedom of creativity that is provided by Minecraft and its tools, some are more interested by the possibility of exploring the world without limits and to go on exciting 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 dangerous: it's home to terrifying, genderless monsters that are out at the night.



"It could be necessary to defend against them to survive.



"If people find this level fantasy conflict upsetting, then we recommend that they use Creative Mode or to allow the Peaceful setting to be used.



"Both of these options will stop monsters from appearing everywhere in the globe."



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