College survey on censorship

[Xzallion]

I just got an assignment a few days ago in my English Composition 101 class, and have to conduct a random survey as research for it. I was trying to think of where to get the most random demographics, and I thought of the Ubuntu Forums. So I'm asking if anyone would be willing to fill out this survey in a reply on this forum, or if you don't want the results known by anyone other then my instructor/class and I just email the results to me at xzallion@gmail.com with the subject "survey"

I will need demographic data for citing purposes (he wasn't clear on this so I guess this should do)
*Name
*Age
*Gender
*Country

Heres the survey the instructor approved.

1. What is your opinion on television and video game censorship?

2. How strong is your opinion on censorship? [weak, some doubt, confident, strong]

3. Should any of the following be censored?
[]Movies
[]Books
[]Comic Books
[]Music
[]Television
[]Video Games
[]Art

4.Why should they be censored?(the items from 3.)

5.Do you know what the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) is?

6.Do you feel that the ESRB is as effective as the U.S. movie rating system?

7.Should stores enforce age restrictions on video game sales?
__________________________________________________ _

Thanks.

[junglepeanut]

I do not think actually this forum will be random as many linux users share a reason for using linux.


I will need demographic data for citing purposes (he wasn't clear on this so I guess this should do)
*Name=Junglepeanut
*Age=30
*Gender=M
*Country=Way too many. (USA/UK/DENMARK/PAKISTAN)

Heres the survey the instructor approved.

1. What is your opinion television and video game censorship?
Should not occur.
2. How strong is your opinion on censorship? [weak, some doubt, confident, strong]
Confident.
3. Should any of the following be censored? No.
[]Movies
[]Books
[]Comic Books
[]Music
[]Television
[]Video Games
[]Art

4.Why should they be censored?(the items from 3.) N/A

5.Do you know what the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) is? Yes.

6.Do you feel that the ESRB is as effective as the U.S. movie rating system?
I think both fail miserably, so yes, they are equal.
7.Should stores enforce age restrictions on video game sales?
Stores should not enforce unless they believe they need to enforce so they are not fined by the government. i.e. They live in a land were they should not or face the penalty. But if it is just a suggestion, then I dont think they should.

[Dr. Nick]

One quick question before I answer, was this the teachers survey or yours?

I see an error with question #2. I am in a marketing research class and we are learning surveys, one accepted principle is that scale questions should have an odd number of choices, not even. This is to allow for a neutral or n/a choice. Not a big deal as those 4 choices are pretty good; just something I though I would mention. I would have never caught it if I wasn't spending so much time messing with surveys for the class, so please don't take any of the above as criticism or anything negative toward you or the class.



I will need demographic data for citing purposes (he wasn't clear on this so I guess this should do)
*Name A. C.
*Age 21
*Gender M
*Country US

Heres the survey the instructor approved.

1. What is your opinion television and video game censorship?

No censorship as long as their is a rating system in place to filter purchase of objectionable material by minors with video games. As long as the content is not illegal I think it should be up to the consumers to show their pleasure/displeasure of the content with the almighty dollar or through other means besides government regulations.

TV is harder, If its a OTA (over the air) broadcast it should be censored more then a cable/sat. show that must be paid for. When voluntarily purchasing premium tv you should be aware what you could be allowing into your home

2. How strong is your opinion on censorship? [weak, some doubt, confident, strong]

confident

3. Should any of the following be censored?
[]Movies
[]Books
[]Comic Books
[]Music
[]Television
[]Video Games
[]Art


No

4.Why should they be censored?(the items from 3.)

N/A

5.Do you know what the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) is?

Yep

6.Do you feel that the ESRB is as effective as the U.S. movie rating system?

No, The ratings cover alot more ages then movie and TV ratings. Plus it is alot easier to modify a game after the sale in ways which would change the rating then it is to change a movie; thats why they have disclaimers saying that ratings may change. But I think they do the best they can, I like how content is "itemized" moreso then movie ratings

7.Should stores enforce age restrictions on video game sales?

Yes
__________________________________________________ _

[BWF89]

*BWF89
*16
*Male
*America (Pennsylvania)

1. Porn involving actual sex should be taken off television. Movies with a lot of violence or swearing should be allowed but only broadcast during times when young kids aren't as likely to be watching. Like later at night or early in the morning.

2. Confident

3. Should any of the following be censored?
[X]Movies
[]Books
[]Comic Books
[]Music
[X]Television
[]Video Games
[]Art

4. Movies and pictures of sex shouldn't be allowed to be distributed. Except for drawings/illustrations that don't involve actual people. If prostitution is illegal why isn't sex in the porn industry? Both are the same, people getting paid to have sex. Only one is claimed to be free speech and the other isn't. Also these child modeling sites (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/20/business/20model.html?ei=5088&en=b74fff8ea3582b86&ex=1313726400&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all) should be taken down. They show preteen girls wearing lingerie. The only people that are paying monthly to see pictures of little girls are pedophiles. And the only reason their doing it is because child porn is illegal so they have to get their fix with something else.

5. It's an industry regulated way to tell parents what kind of stuff is in the game their buying. The content of the games is rated by people who don't actually play video games.

6. I'd say it's more effective. When you go to a game store they have a big white box on the front of the package with bold black letters saying "MATURE" and another bigger box on the back saying what content is in the game. On movies the rating is small and is printed on the back only.

7. Yes. It should be up to the parents what their kids can buy. Once their 18 or have kids of their own they can buy whatever they want and decide what their kids are allowed to play. Age restrictions on video games should be regulated at a state rather than federal level.

[vayu]

1. What is your opinion television and video game censorship?



The question of censorship in a totally propagandized corporate driven media is laughable.

[drbreen]

*Name drbreen
*Age 19
*Gender male
*Country germany

Heres the survey the instructor approved.

1. What is your opinion television and video game censorship?

- censorship is ethically bad. no one has the right to deny anyone else of information that's out there. "we're doing this in your bst interests" is nice, but the chinese say that too. and some of them probably believe it.

- censorship is technically inferior. a network with censoring nodes is not as reliable as a network without censorship.

- censorship does not solve problems, it merely hides them. here in germany, for obvious reasons, nazi content can be censored (even in the web sometimes, oooops invoking godwin's law). are there less nazis now because of this ? i doubt it.

2. How strong is your opinion on censorship? [weak, some doubt, confident, strong]
strong.

3. Should any of the following be censored?
[ ]Movies
[ ]Books
[ ]Comic Books
[ ]Music
[ ]Television
[ ]Video Games
[ ]Art

nothing should be censored.

4.Why should they be censored?(the items from 3.)
n/a.

5.Do you know what the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) is?
yes.

6.Do you feel that the ESRB is as effective as the U.S. movie rating system?
no.

7.Should stores enforce age restrictions on video game sales?
n0.

[Xzallion]

One quick question before I answer, was this the teachers survey or yours?

I see an error with question #2. I am in a marketing research class and we are learning surveys, one accepted principle is that scale questions should have an odd number of choices, not even. This is to allow for a neutral or n/a choice. Not a big deal as those 4 choices are pretty good; just something I though I would mention. I would have never caught it if I wasn't spending so much time messing with surveys for the class, so please don't take any of the above as criticism or anything negative toward you or the class.

Thanks for the constructive criticism, helps me learn things. It was my survey, and I realize now that I could have done better but this is the first time I have ever had to do a survey for a paper. On my next survey I will remember to keep a odd number on scaled questions for a neutral response.

Thanks everyone that has completed the surveys.


I do not think actually this forum will be random as many linux users share a reason for using linux.

I hadn't thought about that, but we have some here just because they like the OS, others due to philosophy, and others just because they wanted to try linux. It should still provide close enough to the "random" that I would of gotten at the mall or elsewhere in my town.

[Dr. Nick]

Glad my advice can help some, we have to check our surveys with the professor first, always something wrong lol. She said it takes her sometimes 100 or so revisions to get it right ... ewww

Hopefully one of the female members will chime in here instead of all us males lol

[adam.tropics]

*adam.tropics
*34
*M
*Australia

1. What is your opinion on television and video game censorship?

I think if it's done sensibly, as an aid to parenting it's ok, but parents have to take the brunt of the responsibility, and not expect other agencies to do it for them. I used to be completely anti-censorship, but nowadays I take one look at my daughter (14), and suddenly my standards are somewhat changed!

2. How strong is your opinion on censorship? confident

3. Should any of the following be censored?
[x]Movies
[]Books
[]Comic Books
[]Music
[x]Television
[x]Video Games
[]Art

4.Why should they be censored?(the items from 3.) Because they are the 3 that have the most profound effect on our Children.

5.Do you know what the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) is?Yes

6.Do you feel that the ESRB is as effective as the U.S. movie rating system?

I have no knowledge of the US movie rating system, but the Australian equivalent is pretty non-effective.

7.Should stores enforce age restrictions on video game sales?

Yes.It is a parents job to decide what is appropriate, not the stores'. However, I'd sooner the restriction, which as a parent I will over rule within my house if I deem it the right thing to do.
__________________________________________________ _

[dbbolton]

i sent it through gmail...

[kuja]

*Name: kuja
*Age: 20
*Gender: M
*Country: USofA

Heres the survey the instructor approved.

1. What is your opinion on television and video game censorship? I think it's being blown far out of proportion.

2. How strong is your opinion on censorship? [weak, some doubt, confident, strong] confident

3. Should any of the following be censored? No
[]Movies
[]Books
[]Comic Books
[]Music
[]Television
[]Video Games
[]Art

4.Why should they be censored?(the items from 3.) Why not? Chances are I'm paying for something when I get it (eg, a game, a movie, etc), and I think I should be the one deciding what I'll see, not some fanatical rating appoval group.

5.Do you know what the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) is? Yes

6.Do you feel that the ESRB is as effective as the U.S. movie rating system? Yes

7.Should stores enforce age restrictions on video game sales? Yes, though it should also be the responsibility of the parent.

[Xzallion]

Thanks to everyone that has taken this survey, If anyone else still wants to participate I could still use a few more. I got till wednesday when the paper is due (I have everything done but my survey results and final paragraph) so help out all that you can! ^__^

[Xzallion]

okay I just finished my paper. Thanks everyone! ^__^

[BWF89]

Can you post the results of your paper or post a link where we could download the file it's in? I'd like to see it.

[Iandefor]

Can you post the results of your paper or post a link where we could download the file it's in? I'd like to see it. +1.

I'd like to see how my responses relate to the majority :).

[StarsAndBars14]

Colleges? Those bastions of liberalism?

Do you really expect your survey to be objective or say anything other than "burn everything we don't like" ?

[Xzallion]

Actually the assignment was to write a persuasive paper and had to include a random survey or interview. I was arguing against the censorship of video games in particular, but included censorship of other media as background as to why video games should not be censored. The paper wasn't that good and I only had 10 surveys, but here are the results from the survey:

50% were confident and 50% were Strong in their opinion of censorship.
only 30% thought some things should be censored, of that 30% all of them though movies should be censored (3 people), most felt that television should be censored (2 people), and very few thought that video games should be censored (1 person).

Everyone had at least heard of the ESRB and said they knew what it was. 50% agreed that the ESRB was as good as the MPAA(Motion Picture Association of America, The American Movie rating system). Also 50% felt that stores should enforce age restrictions.

I can't release the paper because I said I would let people email me if they didn't want their names known from the survey, and I used a quote from them in it. Because I stick to my word, only the people in my class and teacher will see that name.

[HokeyFry]

I will need demographic data for citing purposes (he wasn't clear on this so I guess this should do)
*Name: Alex
*Age: 17
*Gender: Male
*Country: USA

Heres the survey the instructor approved.

1. What is your opinion on television and video game censorship?
It is necessary to suggest, but not enforce this.

2. How strong is your opinion on censorship? [weak, some doubt, confident, strong]
weak

3. Should any of the following be censored?
[]Movies
[]Books
[]Comic Books
[]Music
[x]Television
[]Video Games
[]Art

4.Why should they be censored?(the items from 3.)
Many children watch TV, so its difficult to control that they see. However, the rest of the stuff can be easily monitored by the parents.

5.Do you know what the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) is?
Yes

6.Do you feel that the ESRB is as effective as the U.S. movie rating system?
The ESRB is for video games, the MPAA is the movie rating system, and neither is very effective.

7.Should stores enforce age restrictions on video game sales?
No, it should be suggested so that parents will know its probably not good for their kid, but if a kid is old enough to go to the store alone then he/she is old enough to watch/play movies/games with certain content.

[Skia_42]

Filled out your survey, sent it view email.

[sloggerkhan]

Even though you've finished, I feel like adding my opinion

*Name: SloggerKhan
*Age 20
*Gender Male
*Country USA

Heres the survey the instructor approved.

1. What is your opinion on television and video game censorship?
Shouldn't be. Maybe there should some restrictions on selling it to kids, though.


2. How strong is your opinion on censorship? [weak, some doubt, confident, strong]

3. Should any of the following be censored?
[]Movies
[]Books
[]Comic Books
[]Music
[]Television
[]Video Games
[]Art
No, though I think bad/fake art shouldn't be tolerated by society.

4.Why should they be censored?(the items from 3.)

5.Do you know what the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) is?
An attempt at self-standardization that's rather stupid.


6.Do you feel that the ESRB is as effective as the U.S. movie rating system?
Both systems are very badly flawed.

7.Should stores enforce age restrictions on video game sales?
It shouldn't be about age, it should be about parents. Unless a parent is present with their child, don't sell them a video game if they can't present a driver's license.



As far as media goes, it's all just corporate media. Not so much about censorship as about ignoring what's not good for business.