Bob fixes website after Australian parent complains about violent
game
10 October 2002
Bob the Builder’s official global website has removed a game called
“Whack Spud” following a complaint from the father of a 15-month-old
Australian girl.
Adelaide freelance journalist and media consultant Paul Klaric,
40, discovered the game recently while surfing toddler Internet
sites with his daughter on his knee.
The game invited players to “whack” Spud, an unpopular member of
Bob the Builder’s crew, with a mallet as he emerges from garbage
bins by clicking on the mouse.
After initially avoiding the game for several weeks Mr Klaric,
also a qualified teacher who works as Journalist in Residence at
several Adelaide schools, finally sent an email raising his concerns
that the game “clearly promotes wanton and unprovoked violence against
another living being”.
“I was appalled to discover it on your site and never take my daughter
to that particular game. I suggest you either remove it or, using
some lateral thinking, change it to involve some other outcome,”
he wrote
Within days he received a reply from Lucinda Evans, PR Director
at HIT Entertainment in London, which operates the site at www.bobthebuilder.org
informing him that the offending game would be removed.
“Feedback from parents and children alike is always highly regarded
at HIT as we strive to consistently produce the highest quality
entertainment,” she wrote.
“Your comments on our Spud website game therefore were immediately
flagged up to our internal review team. This team is in place to
constantly update and improve our offering and ensure online content
is entertaining, appropriate, and safe for our audience.
“The Spud game is already under review by this department and so
your points were gratefully received as they were finalising their
conclusions on content. I am now pleased to be able to inform you
that the Spud game will now be replaced by a new game in the next
few days and I very much hope you will find this more satisfactory.”
Mr Klaric said he was “very satisfied” with the outcome and the
new game, which now sees participants help Spud with counting.
“Bob’s site is among the best for educational games but it shows
that parents always have to be vigilant and question the content
that games creators come up with,” he said.
Mr Klaric first started surfing the web with his daughter about
two months ago and said her favourite sites included Bob,
The Teletubbies, Bear in the Big Blue House, The
Hoobs and Bananas in Pyjamas.
“Initially she was demanding at least two 30-minute sessions a
day but fortunately now the novelty seems to be wearing off – sometimes
she even lets me work on the computer without trying to climb up
on my lap.”
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