Thoughts and Opinions
 

Question: Can public imagery and publicly released video, audio or imagery in regards to crime investigations be used in a video game?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,285795,00.html

Long story short, a child was murdered, during the investigation police released a grainy video of the child being taken away by the murderers in 1993. Fast forward over a decade later a video game uses black/white footage of the child being taken as a 'clue' in a game.

Now, is it okay for the video to use the public footage? Is it 'illegal' or simply in bad taste?

Second portion, do public figures have the right to say that public places can not be portrayed in a video game? For instance, does George Bush have the right to say real imagery of the Whitehouse can not be used in a video game?


IMO:
Any public footage is just that, public. While it may be in exceptionally bad taste to use real footage of an event (especially a murder of a child) I don't think you can call it illegal by any means. The footage is public, thus the public can then do with it as it pleases. The issue, IMO, is the classless society we have (globally) that finds this acceptable. As video games go, I for one would never play a game where I'm a criminal and need to kill police or others to "win". And as a father, I would never let my son touch a game that had the previously mentioned underlying concept. It comes down to society in general needing a stronger moral fiber. But, alas, I do not think it is in any way illegal. As for the buildings being featured, obviously I think that is fine and don't believe the context in which the image is used has any weight on whether or not it can be used.

I think it should be legal, but I would prefer that companies didn't feel it acceptable to use it.

bad taste, but shouldn't be illegal. The papers make money by reprinting such images - just another medium.

Vote with your dollars on this issue. Unfortunately making an issue out of it will only generate publicity and even bad publicity is better for sales than no publicity. There will always be that segment of the population for which the notoriety of a product will make it more appealing.

Honestly, if the footage is the original I feel the family should have a right to demand the footage be removed. I also feel the same should be true if the footage is being used in any media outlet. The news can report on the story but the images should be treated differently.

Most family's would have no problem with such a video being used by legitimate media sources in the event of an investigation. Video can be valuable in solving a crime and any lack of notification by the family should suffice as permission.

If however the family asks that the footage in a crime not be shown I feel it is within their right. This footage being used by a video game is exploitation of a tragic event and I suspect would result in damages.

I suggest the family hire Jackie Chiles to pursue the video game company.

Legal, yes. Appropriate, Hell No!