Game
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided posited a world of cybernetic enhancements, divided by “mechanical apartheid,” but publisher Square Enix repeatedly denied that its imagery of societal separation and prison camps had anything to do with the real world of racial divisions.
- Far Cry 5portrayed a rural, anti-government American cult in which bastardised crosses were wielded by fanatics, but publisher Ubisoft refused to be drawn on obvious comparisons with currently resurgent white supremacist groups.
- Sony’s Detroit: Become Human flirts with issues like social justice and domestic abuse, but its creator David Cage says it’s “really about androids,” further claiming that the clear real world parallels in his work are merely in the eyes of players.
- Nintendo’s decision to localise Xenoblade Chronicles X, taking out a customisation slider that altered female breast size, sparked harassment and doxxing against a Nintendo employee.
- Battlefield 5’s use of a woman character in a World War II setting has caused untold controversy among reactionaries.
Film
Discussions on gender equality in the film industry have gained increasing momentum in the recent year. Respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights, including gender equality, is a pre-requisite for the creation and distribution of diverse cultural expressions. Gender equality is one of the 11 monitoring areas of UNESCO’s 2005 convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and Goal 5 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
At the same time, the film industry is arguably the most high profile of all the creative industries, with considerable cultural, social as well as economic weight. Film is also a powerful medium that in many ways both reflects and shapes society and culture. Diversity and gender parity are crucial to the film making process if cinema is to reflects experiences and perspectives of various groups in society.
TV
In the digital age, television is an important forum for those ambitious politician. Hard-hitting journalistic formats such as the ABC’s 7.30 and RN Drive remain key platforms for politicians to articulate and defend their policies.
Malcolm Turnbull has adopted a noticeably more active strategy on this front than his predecessor. More than half his media interviews in his first six months as prime minister were given to the ABC.
As US president, Barack Obama won over many hearts and minds with his appearances on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show. Tony Abbott appeared on Big Brother in his successful 2013 election campaign. He was judged to have done quite well in targeting a section of the electorate that is less likely to tune into Lateline.
Advertising
A recent analysis of tobacco consumption and advertising bans in 102 countries found that a comprehensive set of tobacco advertising bans can reduce tobacco consumption, whereas a partial ban will have little or no effect.
A nudge is a small factor which attempts to steer consumer behaviour in a certain way. Placing a harrowing image on the dangers of smoking on a packet is able to discourage the purchase of cigarettes.