Regarding the rulings from the three federal courts mentioned below, why is it OK for a minor to rent a violent/explicit video game yet not OK for the same minor to have unaccompanied access to an R-rated movie? WTH?
CHICAGO — When it comes to video games, Laura Mills (search) screens what her 10-year-old son Daniel plays. That way, “I don’t have to worry about offensive content in my living room,” Mills said … Offensive content has prompted a new law in Illinois, the first state to pass a ban on the rental and sale of violent and sexually explicit video games to minors.
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“If you’re 18 or older and you’re a grownup and an adult, that’s your business,” Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (search) said. “But I don’t believe that my 8-year-old daughter has a constitutional right to cut someone’s head off in a game that she plays.”
Three federal courts, however, have disagreed, ruling that similar attempts to regulate access to games are unconstitutionally restrictive. Again, the video game industry is threatening legal action.
“Video games are protected speech, every bit the same as a movie is protected or a piece of music or a painting or a photograph,” Doug Lowenstein of the Entertainment Software Association said.
“Video games are protected speech, every bit the same as a movie is protected or a piece of music or a painting or a photograph,” Doug Lowenstein of the Entertainment Software Association said.
Mr. Lowenstein is apparently and inexplicably unaware that we do, in fact, restrict minors from watching certain movies and photographs.
“No, the rating system is strictly voluntary and carries no force of law”…
“While the decision to enforce the rating system is purely voluntary, the National Association of Theatre Owners estimate that the majority of theaters observe the Classification and Rating Administration’s guidelines”
In IL, the ESA was trying to overturn the state law against violent video game sales to minors – there is no similar law for movies/videos/music.
Sales of pornography are covered by other obsenity statutes (regardless of the medium)…
Adding the following - I don’t necessarily agree with the ruling, just stating the facts.
yes, - and I believe WalMart, Sears, and Gamestop have corporate policies that restrict sales of violent games to minors - whether it’s enforced by the 16 year old sales clerks is another matter.
Maybe they should pass a law against lazy parents. If you allow your kids to go to the store and get whatever they want, you deserve what you get. It’s not exactly hard to spot a violent game, just look at the cover. How hard is that?
I guess I wasn’t aware that the ratings system was voluntary & carries no force of law.
Still, something seems a little fishy. I thought some states (communities?) were cracking down on theaters which allowed minors admission to inappropriate movies. Enforcement of some type, like the police having a 20-year old go into a store to buy alcohol. Is it a bluff? Or do some states have laws against it while others don’t. Hmmm…
If movie/music/game producers were required by law to label material which may be “inappropriate” for minors, then it wouldn’t bother me at all. After that it should be up to parents to supervise their children’s activities and up to business owners to set their own policies.
I’d be willing to bet that it’s the parents that buy the games for the kids. I don’t know many 10 year olds that walk into electronics boutique with $50 and buy GTA San Andreas. Either that or many younger kids play the game that belongs to their older sibling (or even parent).