Video-Game Merchants Under Fire

wired news ^ | 4.30.03 | Manny Frishberg

[freepatriot32]

SEATTLE -- In an effort to protect kids from violent imagery and the rest of us from violent kids, the state of Washington is prepared to make it illegal for stores to give youngsters access to interactive images of mayhem.

A bill that restricts the sale or rental of some violent video and computer games to adults-only customers passed unanimously in both the state House and Senate. Gov. Gary Locke is expected to sign the measure this week.

If he does, legal experts who are debating the law's constitutionality say it will mark the first time a state has made it a crime to sell violent video games to people under the age of 17 years old. Store clerks and owners who break the law could face fines up to $500 per incident.

"Everyone in games in Seattle has been talking about this bill," said Mark Long, president of Zombie Studios, a Seattle video-game design house that has produced several military-style action-adventure games, including the Spec Ops series, Rainbow Six: Covert Ops Essentials and the Eckes vs Sever movie tie-in game.

[BADROTOFINGER]

The guys at the local mall at the Software Etc. store are not gonna be pleased about this...JFK

[Grymskull]

As long as the don't ban the production or sale to Adults.. Cuz then I'd hafta go Postal on em...

I'm a huge gamer and a father.. And there are games I wouldn't want my daughter just being able to rent or buy without my premission..

[PaxMacian]

Pac-Man promotes cannibalism!

[Grymskull]

P.S. In the end it is MY responsiblity as a parent though, to be aware of what my kids are doing, buying, watching, playing etc....

This Bill should not be used as a "Babysitter" bill.. but it probably will be used by the left to kill off software companies...

[Atlas Sneezed]

We need a less violent alternative!:

[Timesink]

Totally unconstitutional.

[lmr]

Agree to some disagree, mostly disagree. They aren't infringing on anyone's rights other than children, and they don't have constitutional rights to view or play with anything they want. Although, I think laws like this are stupid. If parents would filter and pay attention to what their kids are doing we wouldn't need stupid laws like this. I am always appalled at what I see other parents allowing their children to do. Not to mention the foul mouths and thuggish behavior many children seem to have these days.

[Timesink]

They aren't infringing on anyone's rights other than children, and they don't have constitutional rights to view or play with anything they want.

They have the right not to have the government telling them what they can and cannot watch, play with, etc. The parents may make such choices for their children; the government cannot.

[jedwardtremlett]

The problem I have with bills like these is that it's riffing off of the idea that these forms of entertainment really ARE harmful. Whatever happened to the notion of personal responsibility for your own actions?

Oh, wait... that's right. The liberals. ; )

J

[Hawkeye's Girl]

This dumb law won't stop any kid from playing Grand Theft Auto 3: Vice City or BMX XXX if their parents buy it for them.

Parenting is not the government's job.

[George W. Bush]

Actually, this will lead to adult video games with far more violence and sex which will then naturally circulate all over the internet via broadband to kids.

It's a net loss, folks. With cheap CD burners and ubiquitous broadband, this will simply take out all the stops on content control for kids.

[George W. Bush]

You need the nude patch for Extreme Beach Volleyball?

[John Locke]

Good idea. Another game with no violence that teaches excellent math skills is this one: