*sigh* Will the misguided legislation ever end?

from: http://msn.com.com/2100-1106-899612.html

.....

Heads won't fall with video game bill
By Margaret Kane
Special to ZDNet News
May 6, 2002, 7:10 AM PT

A bill introduced in Congress last week would make it a federal crime to sell or rent violent video games to minors.

The Protect Children from Video Game Sex and Violence Act of 2002, introduced by Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., would apply to games that feature decapitation, amputation, killing of humans with lethal weapons or through hand-to-hand combat, rape, car-jackings, aggravated assault and other violent felonies. Twenty-one other representatives co-sponsored the bill, which was referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

That list would place a slew of popular titles out of the reach of teenagers, some of the biggest consumers of the games. The top-selling video game in 2001, according to research firm NPD Group, was "Grand Theft Auto 3," in which players steal and wreck cars, commit contract killings and carry out other crimes. It has been banned in Australia

"When kids play video games, they assume the identity of the characters in the game, and some of these characters are murderers, thieves, rapists, drug addicts and prostitutes," Baca said in a press release. "Do you really want your kids assuming the role of a mass murderer or a car-jacker while you are away at work?"

Violators of the act would be subject to fines of up to $1,000 for a first offense and up to $5,000, plus 90 days in jail, for multiple offenses.

Other branches of the government are looking into the issue of minors and video games. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is expected to release a report in June about sales and advertising to minors of games that have mature themes.

The issue hasn't gone unnoticed by video game creators. At a recent developers' conference, attendees agreed that the industry needs to do a better job of informing parents about the violent or mature content of games, although the issue of rating systems is still controversial. The Entertainment Software Rating Board assigns ratings for software titles, Web sites and online games, but participation by both game makers and stores is voluntary. An FTC study released in December found that 78 percent of stores allowed unaccompanied minors to purchase games that were rated for mature audiences only.

And state lawmakers in Georgia recently introduced legislation that makes it a crime to sell games depicting graphic violence to minors.

Courts have had mixed opinions about such laws. Baca's bill was introduced just days after a U.S. District Court in Missouri refused to invalidate a St. Louis ordinance that required parental consent to sell violent or sexually explicit games to minors. The St. Louis law was challenged by the Interactive Digital Software Association. A similar ordinance passed in Indianapolis was later overturned by a federal appeals court.

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Andrew Welch / el Presidente / Ambrosia Software, Inc.
Some people's minds are like cement: all mixed up and permanently set...

I disagree why would games make you violent and non social?

When I was younger I played games like GTA and I didn't feel that I had to shot and kill people. But some games can encourage[sp?] kids to do things for example

2 kids are playing Tekken and when they are done they start to kick each other (because in the game nothing seems to happen except a lowerd bar)

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Desert-Rat a pro n00b
Propaganda, so click | Tärningen är kastad (try to figure that out)

The main arguement for putting age limits on games is that it desencitives kids to violence- and to some degree this is true. Sadly, most kids have been desencitised due to watching violent movies and television programmes anyway. The kids always find ways around the censor.
I know I used to.


Az

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If you like a lot of chocolate on your web-board...

GTA3 is rated an '18' here in Britain, which means that I shouldn't be able to buy it (at 17). However, I bought it off the Internet - no problem. Censoring video games is pretty futile - I decide what game I want, then do whatever it takes to obtain it.
As for kids kicking each other after playing Tekken - there shouldn't be a problem. After one of them kicks the other, they will realise it DOES hurt in real life and stop.

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Mazca, Moderator, EV Developer's Corner
The one and only drunken kitchen leprechaun
EV Developer's Corner | NovaTools | EV Development FAQs

Video/Computer games are an easy target for critics looking for something to blame when a kid goes haywire. I don't doubt there is some connection between violence in games and violent and aggressive behavior in kids, but I don't believe it's possible for a game to be the sole or even the primary cause of such activity. Kids inspired to commit criminal acts based on a game clearly have other problems that leave them predisposed toward violence. It's these problems that need to be identified and remedied first of all. I wonder if anyone can seriously believe that censoring video games will make a noticable difference in violence committed by children.

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Just Games • The Devil's Dictionary • ev-nova.net

Personally, I think that if they make it illegal to sell certain games to minors, piracy of these games amongst minors will simply go up.

If you really don't like the idea of this bill, I highly suggest you write a well-reasoned letter to your congressman on good old fashioned paper mail. You can find your congressman and his address here:

http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html

It wouldn't hurt to send one to your senator, too, even though this is a bill presented to the house:

http://www.senate.gov/senators/index.cfm

Also, supporting an organization like the Electronic Frontier Foundation is a good way to ensure that your rights are protected. The fact is, you need a group lobbying the government in your favor. It doesn't cost much money to make a difference, every little donation counts:

http://www.eff.org/perl/join


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Andrew Welch / el Presidente / Ambrosia Software, Inc.
Some people's minds are like cement: all mixed up and permanently set...

I wonder how many problems Mario started, little kids jumping on a turtles and so on. Realy, any game can put a stupid idea into a kids head. It realy should be the parents problem to introduce particular games while banning others specifically at young ages. If a parent can't control there kids spending, or don't know what there playing half the time, some more quality time is needed.


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WHAT....is your name? WHAT....is your quest? WHAT....is your favorite color?
Rogue Thoughts: u,r,y,ur,ic,cuz,gr8,thnx,2 are not [garbled] words

I typed that too first but it sounded so bad so I deleted it


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Desert-Rat a pro n00b
Propaganda, so click | Tärningen är kastad (try to figure that out)

So what, its not like people that play violent games are the murderers in real life. If you polled all the people on death row, almost none of them would have ever gotten their motives from video games, these people are just plain idiots.

i wonder if Mr. Baca knows his name means idiot in japanese...

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It's Difficult To Comprehend How Insane Some People Can Be. Especially When You're Insane.
visit the just games forum or die!

People who put concepts from a game into real life are the same people beating each other up in backyard wrestling. Sure I acted like I was mario and star fox in my imagination but I knew that if I hit someone or someone hit me it hurt I decided I could live without it. Last time I heard of a killing by a young person I didn't hear that he though the was racking up the points in the game of life...it was anger, revenge, greed, or some real life thing.

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And then there were the toe-socks...

I'll agree that it would be a good idea to restrict what young people do...
next year!!!

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luck is beating the odds, bad luck is when they are the odds of having something bad happen to you.

No.

-tDD

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-TheDarkDragon
Existance is simple: find the food, press the button, hit the treadmill.
Visit the Dragon's Den

At least not if I have anything to do with it!
Which I don't.

Az



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If you like a lot of chocolate on your web-board...

It all roots from a fundamental rule of society. When a society begins to decline, it focuses more and more upon superficial issues as a way to rectify that which has gone 'bad'.
Case in point:
The people of Iraq are utterly impoverished. Thousands upon thousands go hungry every day. So what does President Saddam Hussein spend large amounts of the states money on to rectify this problem? On a more comprehensive food distribution program? On working with U.N.demands so that the oppresive embargos can be lifted? No, he sopends it on both a series of posters and murals depicting him as a great president, and on constructing bigger and better mosques. Saddam plans to have constructed the worlds largest mosque by 2010 (I think that date is accurate).
Ultimately, video games do not cause violence. Violence is caused by injustice (whether personal or civil, real or percieved). I am not saying that the only possible way to react to injustice is violence, but that acts of violence sprout from said injustice.
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold (columbine school shootings) were harrased constantly by those who precieved them as outcasts (jocks, cheerleaders, etc.). This harrasment was inadequetly dealt with by the proper authorities (teachers, principals, police, etc.). Eric and Dylan ultimately responded with violence. Certainly different (and non-violent) options were availble to them, but the injustice (percieved and real) of their situation apparently left them feeling as if there was no other option. Eric and Dylan did not get the idea from, nor did they "assume the identity of the characters in the game" (Baca, D-Calif) when they played "007 Golden Eye". Millions of American bought and played "007 GoldenEye" without feeling impelled to commit acts of violence, clearly such a stance (as held by the supporters of said Bill) is utterly preposterous.
Instead of finding a scapegoat to place blame upon, our legislators ought to look for realistic solutions to real problems. America will NOT find the answers to problems such as teen violence at the bottem of an empty bill.
(I wish to state that I in no way condone the actions of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold).

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True wisdom comes from knowing that you know nothing.

[This message has been edited by Alexis_Stukerov (edited 05-18-2002).]