POPCAP – Criminal Background Check

If you have a criminal record it restricts you from travelling to some countries .

If a company operates internationally and you are required to travel a CBC will highlight any potential issues.

It may also be a requirement for anyone involved in making games for kids, as they maybe involved in focus groups with children.

I doubt it would be asked for – if not required, best to ask them.

I know that all social science research with youths under 18 and ‘vulnerable groups’ now require researchers to undertake vetting/clearance from the guards..usually a condition of funding.

It also has to do with children’s rights and all the scandals there have been.

Aphra.

I had to get one of these before for a potential job (teaching abroad). Pain in the arse to get, as the garda take uselessness to a professional level. Took weeks to get a single A4 page with some ink on it… bet if I did actually have a record, I could get one in a day.

Assuming Popcap are governed by Irish data protection law, it would be interesting to know on what grounds they claim that this is permitted to be sought. You can’t just look for a check just because you’d like to (see http://www.dataprotection.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=636).

It can take a long time to get one in my experience (I had to get one when I was requalifying as a solicitor in the UK), and the Gardai have to be told why you want one.

That is weird. I’ve worked on games using IP from children’s T.V shows and toys. It was never brought up. That was in the UK though, but I’d have expected them to be even more stringent.

Personally I think this is a bit invasive. Only thing I can think of is that they don’t want some nasty political storm if it turns out one of their developers has a record of child abuse. That’s really, really reaching though.

From what I hear they can take a long time to get, a few family members had to get them (scout leaders) and it took something like two to three months. Don’t quote me on that always being the case, perhaps they just got unlucky and their application fell down the back of a desk.