Recently, Mikhail Ivanov, a deputy of the Bryansk Regional Duma, called for a ban on Grand Theft Auto VI in Russia.
In an interview with NEWS, he explained his vision — GTA VI contains "destructive and vulgar content" and has a negative impact on young people.
He also mentioned a "planned" scene of a male erotic dance in the game:
The creators of GTA VI are deliberately including destructive and vulgar content in their product, which is completely unacceptable for the moral health of society. We are talking about the planned appearance of male striptease scenes in the game, which is a direct and cynical violation of basic moral norms and traditional spiritual values. Allowing such content is tantamount to corrupting the younger generation.
According to the deputy, legislation needs to be improved in Russia:
It is necessary either to introduce strict legislative restrictions on the distribution of such games in the Russian Federation, or to oblige publishers to release special versions for our market that are cleansed of immoral content.
The GTA franchise is very popular. This, according to Ivanov, makes it a particularly dangerous "tool of influence":
We must show civic consciousness and not allow our children to be sold the poison of corruption and permissiveness under the guise of entertainment. You can't spend money on products that destroy foundations. It is indicative that even in other countries, developers are forced to think about age verification systems due to tightening legislation. It is our duty to be more principled in this matter.