27 Mar 2008
The controversial Miss Bimbo game is under investigation by regulators over fears that it could encourage young children to dial premium rate phone lines.
Phonepay Plus, which regulates the use of premium rate phone lines and online competitions, is investigating whether the game infringes UK law.
Miss Bimbo is free to play, but players can earn in-game 'dollars' by sending in text messages which cost £1.50 a time.
"Our code of practice has specific requirements for services targeted at children or likely to be particularly attractive to children," said Phonepay Plus in a statement.
"In addition to issues around cost, our rules make it clear that services should not exploit or provide content that parents are likely to think unacceptable.
"We are looking into claims that the Miss Bimbo service might contravene these requirements."
Parents or children who have concerns about Miss Bimbo or any other service should contact Phonepay Plus.
Miss Bimbo has already caused outrage among children's groups which claim that the game encourages young girls to take diet pills and undergo plastic surgery.
The makers insist that the game, which is aimed at girls aged nine to 16, is just harmless fun. It was first introduced in France, where 1.2 million people play.
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Do you agree?
let us play the game...
hi. i play miss bimbo and i love it.I am mother of 8 years old girl..and we play togheter.If other parents don`t know how to educate their kids...well don`t blame the game...spend more time with them(kids) or just lock up the pc. Let the ppl who have fun with this game to play it. thank you.
Posted by: harada 28 Mar 2008
Miss Bimbo ROCKS!
I'm 11 yars old and i Love miss bimbo. You ppl r TOTALLY stupid 4 sayin it's breaking the law. IT'S JUST A BIT OF FUN! We should be allowed whether diet pills & boob job's are what we want for ourselfs. NOT U! MISS BIMBO ROCKS!
Posted by: Lottie 27 Mar 2008
Miss Bimbo
well i dont think that it is a big distraction because once they put it on the news i started to play it and to be honest i dont care what anybody else thinks and no one has taken it seriously. so i think you are all just over reacting. oh! and for the record you advertized it on the news because all of my friends and i have been on it since the y put it on the news if they kept it quite then i wouldn't no about it!
Posted by: Amelia-Rose Perryment 27 Mar 2008
miss bimbo.
Hello. I think miss bimbo is a bit anti-social behaver. I mean im 11 and ive never been on it myself. But hearing it on TV Tells me that it must be bad. I think that miss bimbo should still be on the web as a game but changed as a normal fashion game Thankyou, Molly x
Posted by: Molly,11 27 Mar 2008
The price to pay for gender equality
It is hypocritical for people to complain about Bimbo game when many of the most popular video games involve joining para-militant criminal organizations with ruthless massacres as the winning goals. The only reason they give a hoot is because for the first time, a video game featuring female as leading character earning 'street credz', and targeted at female gamers, become popular! If it is just another GTA clone, people (except Jack Thompson) would have just said 'boys will be boys'.
Posted by: bimbot 27 Mar 2008
make it child frienly
why dont u just make it more of a joyful game because their are lots of other games like this nothing causes harm they just make it fun to play on and mabye put some more weight on her theirs no need to bann it i mean comon somep eople enjoy it
Posted by: lizzie "10" years of age 27 Mar 2008
hate it
I think it is a terbal site boo you
Posted by: charmaine 27 Mar 2008
Value
To put up a website that tends to lead people (especially young people) in the wrong direction and has no value or redeeming features brands a person or people as sewage dwellers. No Christian would do this.
Posted by: Joe Hudson 27 Mar 2008