European Union: Laser Tag "affront to human dignity"

[SeleucusNicator]

Linkage

Laser-Faire
By Renee Cordes Published 10/19/2004
E-Mail Bookmark Print Save
TCS

A key question confronted the European Union last week: Should grown men and women who get their kicks by pretending to shoot one another with toy weapons have the freedom to do so?

German authorities, and now the EU's highest tribunal, think the answer to that question is no. On Oct. 14, the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice upheld a ban on the Bonn "Laserdrome", where participants simulated killing each other with lasers.

The court said nothing about whether the lasers can actually inflict physical pain. Instead, it found that the game operated by the Bonn-based company, Omega Spielhallen-und-Automatenaufstellungs-GmbH, is an affront to human dignity.

"The prohibition on the commercial exploitation of games involving the simulation of acts of violence against persons, in particular the representation of acts of homicide, corresponds to the level of protection of human dignity which the national constitution seeks to guarantee" in Germany, reads the seven-page judgment.

Why such a fuss over what amounts to a very big video game? Even before Omega opened the "Laserdrome: - a Dr. Evil-sounding invention, complete with quotation fingers- in August 1994, there were public protests. Early that year, Bonn police asked Omega for a precise description of the planned activity, and warned that it would issue a ban in case of a game that simulated killing. Omega responded that the game merely involved hitting fixed sensory tags installed in the firing corridors.

In mid-September of that year, Bonn police issued an order against Omega forbidding it from allowing or tolerating games that involved firing on human targets. The order, accompanied by a 10,000-deutsche mark fine for each game played thereafter, was based on the argument that such activities trivialize violence and contravene fundamental values prevailing in public opinion.

Omega then appealed the order all the way up to the Federal Administrative Court. Among other things, it argued that the ban contravened its freedom to provide services under EU law because the Laserdrome was using equipment and technology supplied by British company Pulsar.

Valid as that argument was, the EU's highest court sided with German authorities - noting that in this case one country (Germany) was justified in imposing restrictions on a company from another member state (Great Britain) by overriding reasons relating to the public interest.

While the court lays down good arguments for ruling the way it did, one has to wonder what the real harm is in allowing such role-playing games when the vast majority of the films shown on the big screen also glorify violence. I suppose one could argue that people thankfully don't role-play along with these films while in the movie theater. Still, this ruling sets a dangerous precedent.

If one were to follow the court's logic, then governments could also prohibit children from playing with water pistols or G.I. Joe dolls -- or for that matter could ban even privately organized murder mystery dinners, in which at least one character is "killed" and everyone else has to guess whodunit.

It's also not as if the lasers do any real physical harm. It's not even as "dangerous" as paintball, a popular game in the U.S. in which participants shoot water-soluble gobs of paint at their opponents. Paintball isn't without its risks - if you get "shot" at from up close, or don't properly protect your eyes and ears, you can end up in a serious amount of pain. But those who willingly play these games know the risks going in. Often these games are organized by companies - and why should people be deprived of the pleasure of "shooting" an unpleasant co-worker or superior if those everyone is willing to go along?

It is also conceivable that if this happened anywhere but Germany, which justifiably is keen to thwart all behavior that even simulates violence and recalls the nightmare of its troubled past, the game probably would not have raised an eyebrow.

Interestingly, the decision came out on a day on which the European Commission announced it was pursuing legal action against Greece for prohibiting the installation and operation of electronic, electromechanical and electronic games in all public and private places.

Under the Greek rule, you can't even play with a Game Boy or a game of "snakes" on your mobile phone. EU regulators are now taking Greece to the Court of Justice, arguing that the law goes too far in banning all games "not, in themselves, a source of particular disquiet" and that by taking this measure the Greeks are blocking imports from other states.

Perhaps Greece will argue that the move is justified to preserve the public order and ensure that children and adults don't squander precious brain cells by playing games all day, but let's hope the court is more rational than in the now-famous Omega case.

In other words, the court should adopt a laser-faire approach. Allowing role-playing games or Game Boys doesn't disturb the public order, but restricting people's right to act like imbeciles certainly does.....

To my credit, I tried to prove that this website was a joke newspaper. Unfortunately, I couldn't -- this appears to be real news.

 

[stormbind]

Silly Germans. All they are doing, is making their Counter Strike-loving population fat and lazy, while their rivals in the UK gain practical skills

 

[Mario Feldberg]

The problem with "human dignity" is that most humans don't have any dignity. We're born as mostly hairless apes with oversized brains. And most people never become something else.

 

[Hitro]

It's either this or the next invasion of Poland and France. You choose. Okay not you, SN.

 

[Zeekater]

It's either this or the next invasion of Poland and France. You choose. Okay not you, SN.

Does that mean you'll leave Belgium alone for a change?

Is paintball legal in Germany? Otherwise it's pretty stupid to ban laserthing but not paintball...

 

[Hitro]

Does that mean you'll leave Belgium alone for a change?

Yes.

Is paintball legal in Germany?

There are some restrictions on it. Which is why Belgium will be left alone. Pity Luxemburg for it not being a complete ban.

 

[anarchywrksbest]

In the last year I have been to one of these laser fight things, a paintball day and BB-gun battle using replica AK47s. Germany is weird.

 

[Perfection]

Alls I know is laser tag is fun fun fun!!!

Anyways are sports banned in the EU? I mean lots of sports are basicly "kill the guy with the ball".

 

[Hotpoint]

Is paintball legal in Germany? Otherwise it's pretty stupid to ban laserthing but not paintball...

Okay now this falls into my area of expertise

The rules on Paintball are very strict in Germany. You are not allowed to have a marker than looks like a real firearm (which is a good idea anyway) and the velocity limits are much lower than elsewhere.

This has interesting effects one of which is that the German leg of the European Paintball Series has to be held on a USAF Base which means it doesn't fall under the same domestic restrictions.

One difference with paintball is that it's far more of an organised sport than lazertag since we have proper National and International Leagues, Rules, Governing Bodies etc etc so it's not quite the same as Lazertag which really is just grown men pretending to be Han Solo

 

[newfangle]

That is the silliness piece of crap to come out of Europe in quite some time.

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

What are you Europeans smoking, and where can I get some?

 

[Winner]

I don't play paintball or laser-game, it is too expensive. Airsoft (shooting each other with plastic BB from perfect replicas of real weapons) is far more attractive My vz. 61 Scorpion looks practically same as original

I don't understand, why the german court has problem with this kind of games. Is ice hockey or box something different?

To EU-haters: you should realize, that in USA there are also very stupid laws in some states. Does it mean USA are stupid at all? I think not.

 

[shadowdude]

Last year, a German exchange student came to my school and stayed with one of my friends. We took him to a game of laser tag and he said "You Americans can do that here?" It was quite funny.

 

[kronic]

What are you Europeans smoking, and where can I get some?

Move to the Netherlands?

 

[PantheraTigris2]

Coming from a culture that is completely running away from - at all costs, and in denial about it's militaristic history, it's not surprising. Hey, you never know! Those laser tag games might 'strike a genetic nerve' with the German youth - and turn them all into goose-stepping killing machines. Better not take a chance! Ban it - quick!

 

[Winner]

Oh well, so instead of "killing" themselves in laser games and realeasing accumulated anger, they will hold it inside and than attack us to vent it

 

[PantheraTigris2]

Yeah, but unlike the last time(s), they fully endorsed this kind of thing, teaching their kids how to be soldiers from an early age... this time, when they finally reach the boiling point... they'll be totally out of practice! Should be much easier to beat them, that being the case. Heck, Poland will probably stop them cold. Do they have lots of laser tag and paintball in Poland?

 

[emzie]

I know Stormbind brought it up, but why do the allow games like Counter Strike? Yes, the blood had to be taken out, but it's still more violent than laser tag.... It's not like most Germans haven't bought a forgien version anyway

 

[IglooDame]

Really, that's the funniest thing I've read in a long long time.


Next to go in Germany... Nerf-related combat.

 

[HighlandWarrior]

what a bunch of lunatics. An affront to human dignity? Haha.

Winner, yes we have lots of stupid laws, but this is one of the most stupid i've heard.