I just couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the news at my ZDNet RSS today. I’ll quote an extract of the news and then comment on it. The complete note can be found here.

The video game industry’s 2006 E3Expo trade show in Los Angeles is getting a makeover–banned are the swarms of sexy, semi-clad “booth babes” that in years past took the unveiling of new games and technology to titillating new levels.

Rules prohibiting the use of scantily clad young women to peddle video games are nothing new, but the handbook for this year’s show in May outlines tough new penalties, including a $5,000 fine on the spot for the booth owner if the “booth babe” is semi-clad.
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Exhibitors would receive one verbal warning when a violation occurs. Upon a second violation, the ESA said it would impose a $5,000 penalty, payable immediately on the site. It would also require that models comply with the dress code before returning to the floor.

Well, maybe this whole thing is a huge overreaction, I mean I do understand… Everybody is entitled to a reaction to nudity according to their values and therefore protect their youth from misunderstanding things as they see them, I respect that… but aren’t we going to far as an open society?

This a major blow to live advertising therefore a blow to freedom of speech and free will . I believe we should encourage values, better than banning the fringes of the natural, always present human sexuality, such as nudity… the thing here is that E3 booth babes are not even naked, they’re just dressed sexy.

On one side, I have to agree with Sen. Hillary Clinton when she says its about time for video games to get rated, indeed there are many video games full of violence and porn, some of them definitely are not for kids or youngsters, I agree, but in the other side there is a market for that stuff too, people that really like and probably need this kind of stuff to burst their egos or frustrations, indeed should be focused and intended for an adult audience when content is strong, same way that happens with movies, porn, gambling, drinking, you name it… they’re there to fulfill a human need too, same way casinos and movies of all ratings are, plain and simple, if you ban them then you’ll have a pressure cooker without the weight on… society will explode in chaos.

Must we go the fundamentalist banning path? I’m sure there could be a way for FREEDOM to show up at the Expo too. Mmmmm… I don’t know, maybe there could be an Adult Pavilion under the E3 where no one under 18 may enter, that is… a restricted area, as in a cinema, where there are PG13 and R movies on the same building…, aren’t these people supposed to be creative??

Im sure there’s a way not to make young people feel stupid or unable to manage their own lives and impulses and also give enough freedom for the retailers to make games for those buyers that freely want to choose that kind of entertainment… and ofcourse a space for those sexy babes that are willing to dress that way.. its not like they’re being forced to do it, you’ll be surprised that they actually enjoy it.

But I mean, come on, one has to be careful when rating too, because one thing is having sexy dressed babes in a body glove, and you’ll be surprised how HOT that is, and yet she’s not even naked…, and yet another thing is a scantily clad babe, in which case we must agree first… what exactly that means??… if a bikini is half-clad, then lets close the beaches as well, and WTF: make all the women wear full burkas… hey!! lets just have some Talibans run for senators from Canada to Argentina… oh and yeah don’t go to Europe… women are perverse there, you know… sexy, topless and higly educated… YEAH!!! lets keep our minds narrow!!!!

But banning sexy scantly clad booth babes because they look SEXY (I insist its not even nudity and still a long way from porn too) … What comes next?

Ok, I found this page dedicated to E3girls, you know… “the” babes, so everyone can make up their opinion about it… I guess this a good time to quote that “pornography is in the eye of the beholder” so, Im warning you, be careful…. because guess what… its not even rated!!!… … … … … guess why?… … … BECAUSE IT IS NOT NUDITY.

Bottom line: I’m in favor of rating video games, but against imposing dress rules to women.