The UK will not allow the PS3 to be used in any of its prisons. Not because it is a fancy Blu-Ray player or because it can be used as a computer in a pinch but because it has WiFi built-in. They are afraid of its ability to share data with a PSP and connect to networks.

Not only have they banned PS3s but they have also banned PS2s. While the PS2 lacks the WiFi features that they fear so much, it was banned due to its ability to view porn which it seems that inmates had no trouble getting their hands on.

It isn’t clear if they have banned the PSP yet or not but the PS3 was banned “because of the equipment’s ability to send and receive radio signals,” said John Reid. But it’s only WiFi signals operating at 2.4GHz, it’s not like it can receive just any old radio signal unless one of the inmates happens to have an electrical or electronic engineering degree and access to soldering equipment.

Well hey, if they can’t watch porn or play the PS3 at least they can play violent games like Gears of War on the XBOX 360 or have they banned those too. If I were in charge of the prisons, I’d buy XBOX 360s and the only game available would be Viva Piñata.

Isn’t the idea of a prison to rehabilitate, I can think of no better game to rid inmates of their “tendencies” than to subject them to hours and hours of sheer torture by forcing them to play what is possibly the weirdest and cutest game on the market.

Related:

Man convicted for killing daughter over broken Xbox 360

UK prisoners have their PS3 & Xbox taken away - no adult games in jails

Pedophiles get a Second Life, while not having a first

Brash stiffing PS3 and Xbox 360 developers

Entry was posted on Sunday, April 1st, 2007 at 8:32 am under PS3, PlayStation 3.

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