So, how many of you got teh ban?

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

New York State Just Banned 3,580 Online Gamers (Who Are All Sex Offenders)

As of today, thousands of sex offenders will no longer be able to log onto online gaming platforms, thanks to a joint operation between New York State and some of the world's biggest video game companies. In a statement issued this morning, it's been revealed that the New York Attorney General's office has been working with Microsoft, Sony, Apple and other video game companies to ban registered sex offenders off of the those entities' network platforms.
New York law requires that convicted sex offenders surrender all e-mail addresses and internet screennames to the state, which then provides the information to websites. Those sites can sweep the matching usernames off their rolls, with the aim of creating a safer web environment for underage users. "Operation: Game Over" marks the first time that the law has been implemented with video games. From the press release:

As a result of Operation: Game Over, 3,580 accounts of New York state sex offenders have been purged – or their communication privileges suspended – from the gaming platforms owned by Microsoft, Apple, Blizzard Entertainment, Electronic Arts, Warner Bros. and Disney Interactive Media Group.
​

The initiative comes after recent incidents where sexual predators have used Xbox Live or similar services to form relationships and draw unsuspecting victims to places where they can be sexually assaulted. One such occurrence happened earlier this month in New York State's Monroe County.
Of course, most gaming hardware that allows for internet access includes parental controls designed to keep younger users safe. But many parents don't activate these features.
Concerns about underage sexual assaults aren't locked to any one particular state, and legislation designed to prevent such crimes exists all over the United States. So, it's entirely possible that other states that hold sex offender databases could implement measures similar to "Operation Game Over."
Kotaku has reached out to some of the companies that worked the NY Attorney General's office for comment and will update this story if we hear back from them.
Update:
Here's the official statement from the ESA with regard to "Operation: Game Over":

"Our industry welcomes appropriate efforts allowing people of all ages to play games in a safer environment. Online game play with friends is a social experience and we encourage parents to be aware of what games their children are enjoying and with whom they are interacting in the virtual space. Through the use of robust parental controls and awareness of the online world, playing games online can be a fulfilling and rich experience." – Christian Genetski, Senior Vice President and General Counsel
​

http://kotaku.com/5899463/new-york-..._source=kotaku_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

 

[TecHNooB]

nice....

 

[amish]

wow, that is crazy. i'm not complaining though

 

[NikolaeVarius]

This is ridiculous.

 

[SunnyD]

Step 1: Open new paypal account
Step 2: Create new game account with fictitious information
Step 3: Play game
Step 4: ...
Step 5: PEDO!

 

[waggy]

wtf! wow


I think it is wrong. they did the time they should be able to enjoy games along with the rest of us.

 

[zokudu]

Why not just monitor their online activity? Seems kind of extreme not letting them enjoy online games for a past offense that they have served their time for.

 

[FoBoT]

excellent, now all the stupid pedo's are in jail

just sayin'

 

[slayer202]

so instead of using it to keep tabs on them, they just banned em. smart

 

[schneiderguy]

Good thing California is a sex offender friendly state! :awe:

 

[amish]

Why not just monitor their online activity? Seems kind of extreme not letting them enjoy online games for a past offense that they have served their time for.

i see your point. especially for the ones that were 17 and got caught doing a 15 year old.

 

[Veliko]

I am struggling to see how that can be effectively enforced.

 

[TecHNooB]

excellent, now all the stupid pedo's are in jail

just sayin'

tell us how you circumvented the ban?

I kid..

 

[FoBoT]

I am struggling to see how that can be effectively enforced.

enforcement is not the goal. the goal is for the NY Attorney General to get re-elected/enhance his political career

its about PR and how the state is doing a great job protecting kids

 

[rivan]

i see your point. especially for the ones that were 17 and got caught doing a 15 year old.

Or people labeled sex offender for urinating in public.

 

[gorcorps]

So... is there any confirmation through this process? The article mentions that they just ask the offenders to provide screennames and email info. I'd hate to be banned because some jackass lied and gave them my screen name instead.

 

[Scouzer]

Great, so sex offenders are banned from doing harmless indoor activity, encouraging them to go out and re-offend. Super!

 

[Possessed Freak]

I am confused, either the person paid his debt and is allowed to re-enter society or not?

 

[TecHNooB]

I am confused, either the person has undergone lobotomy and is allowed to re-enter society or not?

ftfy

 

[SillyOReilly]

Step 1: Open new paypal account
Step 2: Create new game account with fictitious information
Step 3: Play game
Step 4: ...
Step 5: PEDO!

Didn't read LOL

New York law requires that convicted sex offenders surrender all e-mail addresses and internet screennames to the state, which then provides the information to websites.

 

[Veliko]

enforcement is not the goal. the goal is for the NY Attorney General to get re-elected/enhance his political career

its about PR and how the state is doing a great job protecting kids

You aint wrong there.

 

[bfdd]

That's BULLSHIT! If you have a fucking issue with them being an offender, DO NOT LET THEM OUT OF PRISON. If you let someone out you are saying they are OK to be back in society, so then they're OK until they do something wrong again. The system is so fucked up.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Well that's stupid. The worst things I've ever heard on Xbox Live didn't come out of the mouths of sex offenders, they came from dumbass 13-year-olds who think the N-word is the most hilarious thing in the world. Considering all the problems with sex offender lists and what gets you placed on one, this is a shockingly stupid move that just panders to imbeciles who think The Scarlet Letter is an intellectual treatise on how to enforce the law.

 

[SunnyD]

Didn't read LOL

New York law requires that convicted sex offenders surrender all e-mail addresses and internet screennames to the state, which then provides the information to websites.

Your point? I thought Step #0 was kind of self-explanatory: Create new email account.

 

[destrekor]

Didn't read LOL

New York law requires that convicted sex offenders surrender all e-mail addresses and internet screennames to the state, which then provides the information to websites.

Is it really that difficult to create NEW ones?

Also, I see this as a serious overstepping of boundaries by a state government - but at the very least, it is a state government - as much as I can find issues with the governments of various states, that's for the state citizens to work out.

That said - jesus christ, so wrong. I hope, at least, that the various gaming companies have done a little snooping into matters on their own, instead of outright banning, with no consideration for actual offence/confirmation of identity.
I mean, how many people are registered sex offenders and are no more of a risk to children than any non-registered adult? Countless.

Not to mention, if they are registered, they have or are currently paying their dues - which is supposed to be all that is required. So a couple jackasses continue to try and commit their favorite crimes even when they are back in regular society - go after such heinous individuals... individually. This has got to be like a form of discrimination - sure, they aren't a protected class (and I would never argue for such, don't get me wrong!), but... barring such individuals from accessing your service, solely based on prior criminal activity of a specific nature?

Yes, protecting the children is grand and all - but at what point will we say, "wait... no, you've gone too far"?

In this country? Probably never, as we simply accept whatever these jackasses come up with... so long as a "we've got your safety in mind!" slogan is attached, as a populace, we'll continue to let our seemingly endless list of freedoms shrink at a rapid pace.