Quoting Unicus69:

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though I am perplexed as to why they feel the need to make the rating so big.

As are we.

Quoting Forget_the_Rest:

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Edit: I've just done a bit of looking around and it seems that the official reason was
"The design and position of the labels have been modified.
The new signs have to be fixed on the front of the cover on the bottom left side on an area comprising at least 1200 mm² (3.46 cm x 3.46 cm) as well as on the image carrier on an area comprising at least 250 mm² (1.58 cm x 1.58 cm) (§ 12 para. 2 clause 2 JuSchG [Jugendschutzgesetz, i.e. German law for the protection of children and youth])."

Or they just could have enforced better controls that shops do not sell DVDs with a higher rating to younger customers as it has always been the law. If cashiers do not care to look at a ratings-label before, what makes them think they will pay closer attention to that problem with bigger labels? Why not have the labels fill out the whole cover? 
Of course this has nothing to do with the fact that there are elections in Germany this fall and some politicians have to show to their older voters that they do so much to protect our children 

Quoting hpopp:

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Of course this has nothing to do with the fact that there are elections in Germany this fall and some politicians have to show to their older voters that they do so much to protect our children 

On a side note: i guess this is probably also te reason why they want a ban on all violent games. Just to show, in response to the school shooting this year, we care and we take action.

Not only can they never uphold this law, people living near the borders can buy games in other countries, (Remember Carmageddon, with the green blood in Germany and Red blood in Holland, the dutch shops near the border nerver sold that many games!), or you buy the games online.

They also have absolutely nothing to back up the claim games (or movies) lead to violence.

Paul

Quoting paulb_99:

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They also have absolutely nothing to back up the claim games (or movies) lead to violence.

Paul

Yea, but it is easier to blame games, movies, television, etc. than it is to blame the parents who have abdicated their responsibility of raising their children.

I just don't understand you guys.
We do this for _us_. Not for anybody else.
So anyone in here agreed that this abominations are just a torture for our eyes but the most of you would like to see them in the program. I don't get it.
The information is not lost if we take the flip cover. There is a field in profiler where you can see the rating. Nothing is lost.
I've just scanned the abomination-free "So finster die Nacht/Let the right one in" cover version but won't contribute it although I think they are better in quality.

I work in a store that sells DVDs and video games.  Over the years I've seen a lot of kids come through, with and without parents.  We've been able to see the same kids as the years progress.

Overall - and mind you, this is just my personal experience - the kids whose parents buy them whatever-the-heck they want seem to grow up to be rude little snots.  I've had parents of children as young as 6 ask if we have Grand Theft Auto.  I've seen these same kids grow into tweens & teens who are some of the most obnoxious individuals to come into our shop, some of which we have thrown out. 

Did the games & movies make them this way?  No.  Did bad parenting - exhibited in one symptom by purchasing games & movies that are not age appropriate - make them this way?  Absolutely.

On the other side, one woman I am acquainted with has three of the most well-behaved lovely children I have seen.  But she not only pays scrupulous attention to the ratings, she also spends time and effort with her children, and enforces discipline, all of which I seem to see far too lacking in other parents I see in the store.

Making these ratings larger and more prominent on the package will not curtail this phenomenon.  We had a store policy of telling parents about the content of the game when GTA San Andreas came out.  Didn't stop them from picking the game up for their child.  Only those who were unaware of games having ratings did this help - in general, grandparents. 

Ultimately no government program in any country is going to cure bad parenting.  Most parents simply want a scapegoat to blame little Johnny's bad behavior on rather than take responsibility for parenting him themselves. 

(Wow that all sounds harsh.  I generally think of myself as a flaming left-wing lib, but I'm fed up.)

Quoting Forget_the_Rest:

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Edit: Cass, while I agree to an extent, I've often heard the excuse "I didn't know it was that bad for my kid" or similar. By making the logos more prominent that wont wash anymore and will make it more difficult to blame someone else if they've got an 18 rated DVD where the logo is font size 100 they can't say they didn't see it.

But that's exactly what that is - an excuse.  If someone actually means "I didn't know it was bad for my kid" when they're buying Grand Theft Auto or any of the Saw movies for their child, then that is such a spectacular display of stupidity that no size difference of the rating is going to change that.

Quoting weio:

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I just don't understand you guys.
We do this for _us_. Not for anybody else.
So anyone in here agreed that this abominations are just a torture for our eyes but the most of you would like to see them in the program. I don't get it.

I second that opinion (see mine on the first page of the thread).