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Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/20/2009 3:29:12 PM   
Vendaval


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Status: offline 		No doubt several of our avid gamers and geeks will have opinions on this ruling.  So folks, how about your opinions, thoughts, and counter-arguments?
 

"Update 2 - Court finds Calif. video game law unconstitutional"

By Gina Keating

Fri Feb 20, 2009 3:23pm EST
 
"LOS ANGELES, Feb 20 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday that a California law restricting the sales and rental of violent video games to minors and imposing labeling requirements is too restrictive and violates free speech guarantees.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the labeling requirement unfairly forces video games to carry "the state's controversial opinion" about which games are violent.

The unanimous opinion by a three-judge panel could have a far-reaching impact on efforts by other states to establish mandatory video game labeling requirements."

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2044580420090220?virtualBrandChannel=10480

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/20/2009 6:02:52 PM   
slaveboy291


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Status: offline 		M-rated games aren't even for kids.  But putting that label like Parental Advisory sticker or an R-rating makes them more appealing.  Kids'll get a hold of them regardless and this whole thing about violence leading to violent behaviour is a crock of shit anyway.

If a kid plays Grand Theft Auto or Resident Evil and then goes on a killing spree afterwards, they're more than likely screwed up to begin with.

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/20/2009 6:09:37 PM   
Vendaval


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Status: offline 		I do think that labeling the games "M" or "R" make more appealing to youngsters.  Like when they try for fake ID or sneaking in the back door to seee a R rated movie or find their parents porn stash.  If the parents do not want the items in the house they need to pay close attention to what the unmentionables buy, borrow or steal and what discs are actually inside the case.  lol

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/20/2009 6:13:03 PM   
Asherdelampyr


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yet another win for freedom of speech!!!!!

IT is about time that parents quit asking the government to babysit for them

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/20/2009 6:18:02 PM   
ThatDaveGuy69


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Status: offline 		Any kid worth the price of his wireless game controller already knows how to download any video game he wants, regardless of the rating. Ratings have become a way to make games more desireable - what kid wants a "G" rated game? What teen wants to see a "G" movie?

Yawn...

~Dave

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/20/2009 6:27:58 PM   
Termyn8or


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I dunno, seems to me my cousins, nephews, nieces whatever have known since an early age the difference between fantasy and reality.

So I don't buy into any of these excuses for censorship.

T

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/20/2009 6:34:05 PM   
kittinSol


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Status: offline 		I wish someone would do away with World of fucking Warcraft  . 

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/20/2009 6:42:54 PM   
Vendaval


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Status: offline 		LOL...WOW is very addictive!

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/23/2009 11:11:01 AM   
CrazyCats


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Status: offline 		About bloody time they remembered that the rating systems are voluntary, and not meant to actually keep anyone, even young'ins, from purchasing, renting, or playing them. It is simply a convenient way for parents to keep track of what is in a game without having to play through the whole thing to make sure it is appropriate for their kid.

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/23/2009 3:15:24 PM   
aravain


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It's unconstitutional for the government to enforce it.

It doesn't necessarily mean that stores still won't. Nowadays you can't *FIND* non-ESRB rated games in person (and they're rare online, even) because almost every single store has a policy that they will not sell M or R (or X, for that matter) games to minors. Just as the government can't force the video game companies to get it rated, and then only let it be sold to non-minors, the video game companies (or government) can't force the stores to sell them to minors. Personally I wouldn't shop at a (real-life) store that DIDN'T have a policy regarding M, R, or X games being sold to minors... which would mean one less person's patronage (and a lot of family groups would probably attempt to rally a boycott for any store that dropped or wouldn't instigate such a policy).

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/23/2009 4:00:23 PM   
came4U


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Status: offline 		Nothing wrong with rating them like they do for movies but doubtful many parents even keep track of (or know) the contents of the games anyways.  The whole idea of games and tv for most is so they have a cheap babysitter.

A grown man gamer, now that is a hard limit.

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/23/2009 4:00:59 PM   
Coldwarrior57


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Vendaval

No doubt several of our avid gamers and geeks will have opinions on this ruling.  So folks, how about your opinions, thoughts, and counter-arguments?
 

"Update 2 - Court finds Calif. video game law unconstitutional"

By Gina Keating

Fri Feb 20, 2009 3:23pm EST
 
"LOS ANGELES, Feb 20 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday that a California law restricting the sales and rental of violent video games to minors and imposing labeling requirements is too restrictive and violates free speech guarantees.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the labeling requirement unfairly forces video games to carry "the state's controversial opinion" about which games are violent.

The unanimous opinion by a three-judge panel could have a far-reaching impact on efforts by other states to establish mandatory video game labeling requirements."

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2044580420090220?virtualBrandChannel=10480
ROFLMAO!
the 9th circus, it will be over turned. they have like a 80 % over turn rate?
its really up to the parents.


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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/23/2009 4:06:54 PM   
Slavehandsome


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Status: offline 		I'm totally against censorship, and the idea of empowering the govt's ability to make decisions for us taxpayers.  I will say this though, recently I played Grand Theft  Auto: San Andreas, and it made Leisure Suit Larry seem like Pick Axe Pete, I assure you.  Minors, that is those children still living under your roof on your dollar, might not be best served spending the hours it takes to get good at that game until they've gotten out and learned to work to pay their own way.  That's my opinion.


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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/24/2009 1:02:08 AM   
FearlessDom33


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Status: offline 		This is actually less a video game debate than it is a censorship debate.  It makes for a wonderful election year topic (they may be looking to 2010) to swing soccer mothers and other paragons of "wholesome American family values".  The politicians will huff, puff, and demand reform to violent video games.  However, in spite of the pageantry, these topics tend to go on the backburner until another election year comes up, and then suddenly it takes on an importance that it otherwise would not.  Conservatives and Liberals are equally guilty of this pandering (which surprises me because one would think Democrats would be more willing to defend it on Freedom of Speech grounds).  This is not even taking into account the lobbying and counter-lobbying that is going on behind the scenes (socially conservative groups vs. video game industry groups, freedom of speech groups). 

All media has undergone similar scrutiny.  Books.  Movies.  Graphic novels.  Censorship advocates have attacked all of these at some point in our history.  It's an assumed growing pain.  Sometimes, they're STILL attacked.  However, they tend to fend off these attacks better under the mantle of Freedom of Speech and because they can be considered art.  Are video games art and worthy of the same levels of protection?  I think they are gradually working themselves there.  For every mindless licensed cash-in game, there have been some wonderful works with great writing, aesthetics, and gameplay in tandem that it can almost be considered an experience versus merely just a game.  Bioshock, Braid, and Fallout 3 are some prime examples.  Of course, the fact that all of these are FUN is probably what matters the most. 

Ultimately, I disapprove of censorship because it's taking away choice and responsibility from us as individuals.  The government is not responsible for the content we choose to consume nor should it be.  If a person finds a particular piece of content obscene and not to his / her liking, they always have the choice to not be a consumer of said content.  There is already an Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) in place that does a fine job of classifying materials in a game.  It is up to us to be responsible for the content we allow ourselves (or our loved ones, dependents) to consume without infringing upon another person's right to view / play some media (with the caveat that material that is unlawful to possess is obviously excluded). 




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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/24/2009 4:07:41 AM   
ScooterTrash


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Vendaval


"Update 2 - Court finds Calif. video game law unconstitutional"

Hmmmm...somewhat expected I would think......after all, their Governor IS the "Terminator"...lol.

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/25/2009 9:01:05 AM   
philosophy


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.....i'm an avid gamer, so let me take an exemplar game and discuss that.

Fallout 3. Awesome game, set in a post apocalyptic landscape the player has a wide latitude to do whatever they want. The dialogue contains swear words and the game play features drugs that can become addictive. The player can also take perks (special powers) that allow them to seduce members of the opposite sex. Another perk makes combat far more bloody and graphic. We have cults, alternative governmental types and racial tensions to deal with.
Now, my box of the game has an M rating on it. Clearly it's a mature game. So, does it pose any danger to anyone?

i'd argue that the game itself isn't dangerous. However it's all down to how an individual player interacts with the game. One can play the whole game and not seduce anyone, not take any drugs and reduce combat to a minimum........and this is where games differ from films. A film is a set thing, it may contain any of the dynamics mentioned above or none of them. However the experience of someone interacting with it is static. Games experiences are dynamic. Each instance of replaying the game can be sharply different.

Therefore, if we want to control how um's interact with games it's not at the point of sale that we do so. It's at the point of interactivity....which is inside the home. Sorry parents.....it's all down to you.

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/25/2009 10:21:02 AM   
thishereboi


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quote:

ORIGINAL: kittinSol

I wish someone would do away with World of fucking Warcraft  . 


What do you have against World of Warcraft?

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/25/2009 10:40:51 AM   
philosophy


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quote:

ORIGINAL: thishereboi

quote:

ORIGINAL: kittinSol

I wish someone would do away with World of fucking Warcraft  . 


What do you have against World of Warcraft?


...it's the Sims of the modern age. Which is to say that it is to good gaming what Days Of Our Lives is to No Country For Old Men.

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/25/2009 10:44:19 AM   
FullCircle


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Status: offline 		There is a psychological argument often made that violent video games have a worse effect because the person is putting themselves in the place of the main character by controlling such violent actions.

 A violent film on the other hand is just viewed and so doesn't immerse the viewer to the same level.

Obviously it doesn’t give the games industry a good reputation when convicted killers say things like “Life is just another game everyone has to die eventually.”
Why does anyone want to act out violent rage? Is it an unobtainable fantasy for some? Usually people use such things to indulge their fantasies.

If you can prove a link statistically then I think action should be taken but I don’t know of any studies conducted where convicted criminals were asked what their favourite video game was.

Societies distaste for something isn't a good enough reason alone for censorship.

Also what is that wii all about? The video used to be controlled in a very non-human interactive way, soon I imagine people will be jabbing the air with wired plastic swords etc.

< Message edited by FullCircle -- 2/25/2009 10:46:45 AM >

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RE: Cal. video game law ruled unconstitutional - 2/25/2009 10:51:10 AM   
FRSguy


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Status: offline 		I have to question the rights of free speach to children.  Somehow I feel as a parent that I should have some control over what my child hears and sees. What if a video game had two people fucking in it.  I dont want my seven year old or my sixteen year old being able to walk up to a counter and purchase it.

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