@SpiralGray

Alcohol and cigarettes aren't Free Speech and have actual proven harmful effects (which violent media doesn't, not even close). The U.S. constitution bars congress from passing laws that would abridge Free Speech and minors have First Amendment rights. I won't go anymore into this as it's been said a million times over.

Too bad the ECA can't get broke off a chunk of that $20+ million the ESA rakes in. Sounds like they're doing more to deserve it.

This will cause people to tone their games down if this passes. No one would DARE to make an M rated game. :( We would be just like Australia with their 15+ rating. But our highest rating would be 13+.

I don't even know why politicians bother with this legislation. These types of bills have been found unconstitutional 9 times over. Almost 4 million dollars of taxpayer's money wasted in the courts on this shit.
Are they just trying to waste taxpayer's money for the sake of it? To make themselves look good to the moralistic prudes and and the "we must protect the children" protectionist morons out there.

>>Are they just trying to waste taxpayer’s money for the sake of it?

Almost. Games are the new cultural kids on the block, and pols are taking full advantage of the "Protect The Children" shtick to score points off the ignorance of the general public.

Games are easy targets right now. Parents don't understand them, the most culturally visible games are exactly the kind that the too-young just LOVE to try getting illicitly, and the actual ubiquity of games is unnoticed by the general public, assuming that only nerds, the disturbed, and the lazy would bother to play these "wastes of time".

It's political catnip.

@mogbert

True, fining retailers $5000 (which this bill would do) for selling a 16 year old a fuckin' video game is ridiculous and excessive. Not even stores that sell cigarettes and alcohol (which have actual proven harmful effects) are even fined that much.

Ah, sweet British Indifference.

I wonder if I can save us from the italics holocaust by doing this?

Also, this looks useful, thanks! I'll probably either use the ECA's tool or simply write my congresswoman (Anna Eshoo) directly.

@Ian Cooper

Being a parent is hard work. If you want to accuse me of being lazy because I actually CARE what my child does, then I think you're misunderstanding me. I trust my son to make his own choices, but I also realize that as his mother, I am held responsible for his actions. If I physically followed him around and watched him like a hawk with everything he did, then you can bet that he wouldn't trust me. Since you seem to feel that I'm not parenting my son enough, is that what you're suggesting I do? My son and I have a great relationship. We game together and we talk to each other.

As far as the idea of handing him over to a stranger, that seems like an overreaction. Police officers are strangers and we expect them to enforce law and safety in our communities. Still, I can see your point of view.

The bottom line, though, is that as his parent, it is my responsibility to parent him. If I feel that a game is inappropriate for him, I won't let him play it.

Also, to elaborate, it's not that I'm for this bill. I think that it's targeting video games in a disproportionate way versus other media such as television and movies. I also feel that it's going to cost a lot of tax dollars that I'm not happy at all about spending.

we can let Congress know that we.. ..would rather they use their time and our money to discuss more pressing issues such as.. ..universal healthcare

Actually, umm, I'd rather they didn't. But then I suppose I'm not one of the "we" mentioned in the release since I won't join the ECA precisely because of these unrelated agendas which pop up in statements and such from time to time.

*sigh*

If ratings are enforced by the government they can BAN games.

Cheater87 Says: "If ratings are enforced by the government they can BAN games".

BOLLOCKS! If ratings are placed on a game, it means they are NOT banning a game. They are merely saying who is able to purchase the game.

If an Adults Only rating is placed on a game (which means it's meant to be played by Adults, as has ALWAYS been stated intention of Rockstar regarding GTA IV), then any bans enforced are put in place by Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Walmart, and so on .... simply because they refuse to sell it. The government is not at fault here. It's the DYSFUNCTIONAL view that corportations and individuals have of what constitutes an Adults Only or Mature rated game.

@Ian Cooper

Chillax broham, everything's cool. The bill ain't gonna pass and even if it does, you'll still decide what your kid is exposed to. This isn't me saying that I support the bill; I dont, but there would be no problem for parents who choose to let their children indulge in M rated games other than wasted tax money and a hypocritical law in place that tolerates movies, books, and music but not games (NOT THAT THOSE AREN'T IMPORTANT).

Slow down there speedy, Universal health Care? you can smell the moveon, literally smell it.

Universal Health Care isn't that bad. We've got it here. I don't use it(Big strong man, me don't get sick), but my fiancé and the kids do.

It's on the 'nice to have' list. One of the only ways a law abiding citizen can run up millions of dollars of bills through no fault of his own is through an American hospital.

Your all a bunch of dipshit Americans if you think that a $5000 fine is going to put a small games retailer out of business, it would do its job perfectly, what retailer would sell an M rated game to a minor? It wouldn't happen at all. thats what this is all about! Fair enough that is should apply to all forms of media but come on people are you all to stupid to see that its a good idea? The video game market is on average the 18-35 age group, what percentage of minors can actually afford games anyway? Children get their money from adults, if a child wants an M rated game then they can get an adult to buy it for them

Ill use the New Zealand rating system for example:

The New Zealand rating system is a universal system for games, movies and TV program’s, and is not a voluntary system, our ratings are as follows:
G = General
PG = Parental guidance necessary
M = Mature ages 16+ (can be sold to those under 16)
R16 = ages 16+ (cannot be sod to those under 16)
R18 = ages 18+

Plus our rating system is stricter than the ESRB rating system, we actually get games banned (manhunt, postal etc). Games like GTA fall into the R18 category, where as games like Halo and Counter Strike fall into the R16 category

J03_M4M4: I'm sorry to hear that you live in a country that practices outright government censorship. The U.S. hasn't gotten quite that bad yet (except once in a while when offended parties sneak it past by labeling their targets "obscenity" or "hate speech"), and it doesn't need to. The ESRB ratings system works (as was demonstrated earlier this week), and it doesn't need or want the government's involvement to keep doing so. I don't know about New Zealand law, but the U.S. has a constitutional amendment that I rather like that says the government cannot "abridge the freedom of speech."

Retailers are free to distribute games (and DVDs, and books, and music) with mature content to young people if they so choose. They are also free to earn the public's ire and risk losing business by doing so.

Shih Tzu Says: "... but the U.S. has a constitutional amendment that I rather like that says the government cannot “abridge the freedom of speech.”"

This much bandied "freedom of speech" that US citizens are supposed to have is simply a myth. "Freedom of speech" in the US goes only so far as your money allows you to not be litigated against by people or corporations with a lot more money. Sure the government cannot "abridge the freedom of speech", but people-power stops dead in the face of the bully-organisations like of the RIAA.

Freedom of speech? I prefer protection of law.

People - I'd like to try and be civil with those who hold different views.

I was troubled to see that Hatumi felt she had a bad experience here.

People of good will can disagree, and should do so without suggesting personal shortcomings in the other party.

Thanks.

-GP

@Ben Ambroso

Your comment implies that health care leads to better health which has been proven to be fallacious, read the link I posted above

@Shih Tzu

Count me in


It is a shame that the ECA would not only say this but still be affiliated with the likes of Moveon, not all American gamers are left wing, from what I see here far from it.

@T5: “It is a shame that the ECA would not only say this but still be affiliated with the likes of Moveon, not all American gamers are left wing, from what I see here far from it.”

The ECA works with organizations of all political and philosophical persuasions regarding a variety of gamer-related issues. We’re glad that you agree with our mission to represent gamers of all political, and a-political, stripes. To exclude working with an organization because it represents folks of one perceived political persuasion would be just as exclusionary as only working with one type of politically leaning organization.

Brett Schenker
Online Advocacy Manager
The ECA
www.theeca.com

the bill actually sounds like a good idea to me. that way parents cant complain when they "accidentally" buy their kid a game they probably shouldn't have in the first place.