Parents suing Blizzard for World of Warcraft addiction

Ok, I'm trying to be calm while I write this...

All you people who are criticizing #7's position have neglected to ACTUALLY READ WHAT HE WROTE. He's NOT blaming Blizzard for the kid's suicide or McDonald's for making people into fatasses.

What he's saying is that companies have an ethical obligation not to try to harm people with their products. Many products are extremely harmful, but part of corporate responsibility is to ensure that harmful products are sold and used responsibly. That is why automobiles are required to have seatbelts. It is also why food labels have nutritional information on them. IF (note that I say IF) McDonald's is attempting to mislead its customers about the potential harm from eating its food, then customers have the right to sue.

The big question is whether or not WoW is addictive. As #7 pointed out, we don't know. We can dismiss the idea outright, but then we'll all probably feel pretty stupid in twenty years when we have a society full of MMOG addicts. How about we use the open minds we all claim to possess to consider -- just CONSIDER -- whether Blizzard et al have an ethical responsibility to ensure that their products are being used safely.

And video game addiction is an ENTIRELY different issue from the violence in video games issue. It's not about accepting responsibility for actions, but rather about being aware that MMOG's MAY BE potentially addicting. If you were not told that cigarettes were harmful, if you were in fact told that they were perfectly harmLESS, wouldn't you feel like your cigarette addiction is not entirely your fault?

Let's just be reasonable and have open minds please.

I was addicted to Star Wars Galaxies for awhile and it consumed my life whenever I was not at work. However, nobody made me play that game, or forced it on to my computer. For peopele that don't understand the game, there's a nice little description on the back of the box, there's you're warning.

Some people are in to different things and take them more seriously then others, but the companies that produce these generally harmless games can't be held accountable because of one nut job.

If your spouse gets addicted to online chatting and cheats on you with someone you met on the internet, do you blame AOL? I think you blame the person's actions, not the software.

Ethical responsibility??? They made a product which was made without breaking the law, they did everything the law required (ratings, EULA so on). If you are too stupid to not see that your 13 yearl old child has problems, or in other cases a whole god damn arsenal of weapons in the basement then it's your own fault. If they did what you asken they would have to consider every crazy jerk in the world and make notes for them. In U.S we already have labels on irons saying do not iron clothes while they are on YOU. How stupid can you be???????? I bet if the law required them to do something like that they would. About those parents, they shouldn't be allowed to have children no more AT ALL.
P.S
There are 4 million people playing that game why they all didn't kill themselfes??????

Blaming the games or software industry for your child child exihbiting obsessive behavor regarding their product, or suicidal tendencies is irresponsible, misdirected, and just plain wrong.

Note: IANAL, IANAP, IANAD.

An obsessive type will find something to immerse themselves in. Be it TV, Computer Games, Vivisecting Insects, Twinkie stuffing, or whatever. They will go for what's available, and there is ALWAYS something available. If the parents were aware of this little flaw, they should have gotten the kid counseling or some other form of help.

Now suicidal is a little different. I've been dealing with depression lately, and for people outside your skull, (hopefully there's only one inside it) it can be very hard to determine that someone has reached a suicidal level of depression. But then again, it's not like anyplace bothers to teach people to recognize the symptoms. You see, depressives may want help, but feel too sad or worthless to ask. For whatever reason they can't bring themselves to ask. So the most they tend to do is make subtle hints. One of the biggest clues that someone is reaching a suicidal state is something I've heard called the "Grave Voice" or "Voice of the Grave". I'm sure there are other terms for it. But if someone has reached that state, they may try to pull themselves out of it. Success in online gaming can help. It gives you an alternate life you can try to improve without being limited by Real World issues. However, a massive setback in that can really trash you. Failing in one life is bad enough, two lives is utterly crushing. All it takes is one con, or griefer, or just plain bad luck to trash you.

Should the parents be blamed? Maybe, and maybe not. Lets face it, they may have been totally ignorant of their child's problems. In which case they are not to blame, they are just another victim of their ignorance. On the other hand, if they were aware of any of these issues, and failed to act to alleviate the situation, then they are the only living people than can recieve any blame. Another possibility is that they knew, took appropriate action, and it still occurred. Then there are two possible targets of blame. First, if the medical/counseling was innaproprate or incompetent, then they must shoulder the blame. Second choice is that either no one knew, or the treatment was ineffective due to an extensive condition, then the only one who can be blamed is the suicide victim. Of course, the suicide victim can't really be blamed, since they are most certainly in their right mind. They need help (if they survive the attempt), not recriminations.

Well, my summary is this: Don't blame the parents until you know they were irresponsible. The parents have ZERO right to sue the maker/distributer/etc of the game. No matter how you look at this, it's a tragedy.

They have no right to sue the game developers, a recent study shows that violent video games and violence in real life are not linked, they just want to sue because they found a way to make some money, plus what was a kid doing on the 24th story playing a video game? Last time i check kids are not supposed to be working, keeping them on the first floor usually. Pretty much they are trying to cut of the "Cat's Tail" even though they dont need to.

This will go nowhere as it now says in the End User License Agreement(EULA) that Blizzard will not be held liable. He basically waved blizzard from any responsibility for his actions once he logged in for the first time. Further more, every time you log in you must agree to the EULA.



And I agreee with Efren. too many people use TV as a babysitter and yet complain when their child picks up some "bad" words. Poor parenting indeed. Too bad parenting classes are not manditory.

I think its foolish of somebody to be sueing a video game...wtf where are the parants stupid asians.. no offence but if use opend ur eyes use would realise its your stupidy that f**** this up for every 1 else :| I don't no the case on their son but who in there mind would jump of a flameing bulding from wow...wow is crap neways....

love lots Mitchell