Tonight on Sky.Com News we'll be debating website Miss Bimbo with Alexandra Roumbas, Deputy Editor of ShinyShiny.tv. Here Alexandra talks about Miss Bimbo.
The internet is buzzing with the news that Miss Bimbo, a site devoted to pandering to a 'bimbo', has now hit 200,000 members in the UK and counting.
The game challenges players aged nine to 16 to keep a bimbo in fine fettle with boob jobs and "waif thin" with diet pills, earning the right to dress her up in flimsy underwear, take her clubbing and generally make her "the coolest, richest and most famous bimbo in the world".
The game's designer, Nicholas Jacquart, says it's all harmless fun.
Somewhat predictably, both charities working with people suffering from eating disorders and parents' groups are outraged.
There's no doubt Jacquart has his tongue firmly in his cheek while raking in the cash as players top up their virtual funds with real money.
He says: "The game is structured in such a way that it simply mirrors real life in a tongue-in-cheek way.
"The missions and goals for the bimbos are morally sound and teach children about the real world.
"If they eat too much chocolate in the game, it is bad for their bimbos' bodies and their happiness levels compared to if they eat fruit and vegetables, which reinforces positive healthy eating messages.”
Uh-huh. It's an educational game! How did I fail to notice that?
I have no problem with irony, and if this game had been a tad cleverer about it, I'd have been cheering it on.
I'm not interested in ripping into women who choose to lead a life I wouldn't, but I think making fun of an obsession with looks, money and fame is totally fair game.
Unfortunately, the average age of a player on Miss Bimbo is nine to 12. In fact, it's aimed at impressionable young women.
Irony is funny; objectification is not. From Jacquart's comments it's clear that he's aiming for one but almost certainly achieves the other. Even the use of the word 'bimbo'... honestly, insert your rant of choice here.
So what do I think? Well, I'm not going to rave and scream and hurl abuse at Jacquart and Miss Bimbo but I do have concerns about what this says about how parents are controlling Internet access at home.
To Read more Click Here
that is horribly petrifying and by the fact that its young women its being aimed at. its a very horrible example to people nowdays.
Posted by: Katrina 25 Mar 2008 20:11:31
If parents are going to let their children have a free reign on the computer and not monitor what sites they are registering on what do you expect.... My computer is locked and only I can let the kids on, they do not have an e mail address and so if they want to register for anything have to use mine (even though they always ask first anyway b 4 registering)therefore all info is then in my account. COME ON IT'S COMMON SENSE!!! GOOD PARENTING INVOLVES DISCIPLINE, RULES AND ROUTINE...
Posted by: sarah uk 25 Mar 2008 19:11:48
If these "impressionable young women" were being monitored properly by their parents then there would be no problem.
Posted by: Mike Jones 25 Mar 2008 18:25:31
The fact of the matter is simple, it must be up to the account holder to decide what parental controls they deploy as kids see a lot the eye doesnt see.
Anyway, is it time for [Aqua] with my [Barbie Girl]??
Posted by: Khalid 25 Mar 2008 14:42:31