Saturday, January 28, 2017

Red Cross Symbol Not Allowed in Games

Red Cross Symbol
Developers of the video game Prison Architect are in hot waters right now after they found themselves in breach of international and British law for displaying a red cross on a white background.

The symbol appears in the game as a five-pixel red cross on the hood of ambulances and health packs. However the British Red Cross reportedly contacted the developers (Mark Morris and Chris Delay of Introversion Software) to let them know that the symbol is not in the public domain.

Using it is "restricted under the Geneva Conventions for the Protection of War Victims of 12 August 1949" and "unauthorised use of this sign in the United Kingdom is an offence under the Geneva Conventions Act 1957."

So, turns out that Delay and Morris were not only in breach of international law, but also to British law, as the Geneva Conventions were incorporated into British law in 1957.

"The red cross emblem is an internationally agreed symbol of neutrality and protection," a British Red Cross spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

"It helps save lives during armed conflicts by protecting the sick and wounded and those who try to help them in a completely neutral and impartial way. If the emblem is used for other purposes, its special meaning may be diminished; for example, when the emblem is mistakenly used as a generic sign for medical services or ambulances."

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