Cnet Speaks Out Against ICE Raids

The recent ICE raids have sparked mountains of debate concerning the issues surrounding the ethics of modified video game systems. Their new article on the subject makes some great points shown in the quotes below. One point raised that I find to be one of the strongest, concerns people modding systems so they can play overseas versions of games. This is something that has been going on for as long as I can remember, and honestly doesn’t hurt too many people. The companies and government will argue that it still causes an unethical business environment to form, but that does not seem very logical to me. In fact, customizing your system so you can play overseas games may in fact bring more business to the companies who are so strongly against modifications. I completely understand why companies want to have complete control over their systems, but perhaps they need to take the consumer’s point of view into consideration. I realize that isn’t profitable for the across the board, but it may be the right thing to look at.

At its very core, what is so wrong with modding, or modifying, one’s gadgets? While I admittedly don’t know as much about the techniques involved, because I don’t own any modded devices, I still have trouble understanding why companies (and officials) have such a hard time with people making products better.

Now, I’m not saying that individuals should be allowed to sell and distribute a modded Xbox 360 to the highest bidder, but I am saying they should be able to mod the system for their own benefit. Yes, I can hear DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) proponents crying out in disgust already, but to be honest, I think those folks need to get a strong lesson in logic.

Banning modding is nothing more than a business ploy. And although organizations like the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the U.S. government claims that it raises our prices and maintains an unhealthy business environment, I’m not sure where John Doe, modding his PlayStation in the comfort of his home so he can play overseas games, is contributing to the “facilitation of multiple other layers of criminality, such as smuggling, software piracy and money laundering.”

Via Cnet