Where would we be without Fox telling us how to live? Over the years, they’ve attacked numerous aspects of the gaming world–from blowing a non-explicit 5-second sex scene in Mass Effect out of proportion by reporting false information, to advocating that gaming teaches you to kill and nothing more.
Now, in Chicago, they are telling the gaming industry how to advertise.
Fox, reacting to recent shootings in Chicago, questioned the CTA why advertisements for the "unapologetically violent" Grand Theft Auto were popping up on buses and train platforms. In their report, Fox spoke of the game as if it caused the shootings and was altering children into mindless killing machines.
Their dreadfully lopsided report contained three street interviews, only one of which said they didn’t care, stating that "We shouldn’t block advertisements because you don’t know how to do your job as a parent." Truer words have never been spoken.
Of course, if you do need help parenting, you can always turn to Fox, who’s questioning and story brought down the despicable act of advertising such a terribly detrimental act of entertainment. The CTA will be pulling the advertisements off their buses and train stations, to avoid further tempering with children’s minds.
Fox’s actions are dreadfully unprofessional, as they still fail to adequately allow actual gamers to present their side of the story. All of their reports are lopsided, giving more time to the side that they see as more noble; the side against video games. Fox also seems to continually drive the idea that GTA is marketed to children, when it is in fact rated M. The only reason Fox has jumped on this issue is merely because GTA is a video game. You didn’t see them make an issue about Hostel ads, did you?
No child should be playing Grand Theft Auto. However, as that one pro-advertisement interviewee stated, it is the parent’s duty to make sure they are participating in age friendly activities. If Fox isn’t careful, they’ll be putting lots of parents out of work.
The video report can be found here.
