Post by *NormalGamer* on Nov 30, 2005 18:53:18 GMT -5
www.nintendojo.com/infocus/view_item.php?1133383973
Federal Video Game Restrictions in the Works
11/30/2005, 3:52pm Eastern Time
It was only a matter of time.
Senators Hilary Clinton and Joe Lieberman have authored the Family Entertainment Protection Act which they will introduce to the Senate. The act would prohibit the sale of games with an ESRB rating of Mature or Adults Only to anyone under 17 years old. It would also call for an annual analysis of the ESRB to determine if content is rated accurately.
Clinton has been very vocal about the video game industry since the "Hot Coffee" scandal regarding hidden sexual content in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas surfaced. This is the first attempt at federal legislation to prohibit video game sales. Similar state laws have been passed, however all such laws that have been challenged by the courts have been overturned. The courts have ruled they are an unconstitutional violation of First Amendment rights.
"We share Senator Clinton's commitment to effective enforcement of the ESRB ratings by retailers," says Douglas Lowenstein, president of the Entertainment Software Association, "However, we strongly oppose the bill."
Lowenstein says the combination of the ratings, parental education, voluntary retail enforcement of the ratings and the recent announcement that all next-generation consoles will include parental controls renders the bill "unnecessary."
"There is now a continuum of tools from the store to the home enabling parents to take charge of video games their kids play," he says. "It is now up to them to do their jobs as they see fit, not up to government to do it for them."
Clinton says this legislation is not to censor video games, it is "about protecting children." Lieberman says the same, and that this legislation, which will impose fines on retailers that sell the restricted games to minors, is necessary to keep games intended for adults from being purchased by minors. (dm)
Source: GameDaily Biz
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NG: Parents who are concerned about M/AO rated games better make good use of excersizing those tools to be better parents taking full responsibility, while game developers should have the creative freedom to do what they want in making their games on consoles.
For myself, this dosen't bother me since i'm old enough to buy the games I want to buy and play.
Federal Video Game Restrictions in the Works
11/30/2005, 3:52pm Eastern Time
It was only a matter of time.
Senators Hilary Clinton and Joe Lieberman have authored the Family Entertainment Protection Act which they will introduce to the Senate. The act would prohibit the sale of games with an ESRB rating of Mature or Adults Only to anyone under 17 years old. It would also call for an annual analysis of the ESRB to determine if content is rated accurately.
Clinton has been very vocal about the video game industry since the "Hot Coffee" scandal regarding hidden sexual content in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas surfaced. This is the first attempt at federal legislation to prohibit video game sales. Similar state laws have been passed, however all such laws that have been challenged by the courts have been overturned. The courts have ruled they are an unconstitutional violation of First Amendment rights.
"We share Senator Clinton's commitment to effective enforcement of the ESRB ratings by retailers," says Douglas Lowenstein, president of the Entertainment Software Association, "However, we strongly oppose the bill."
Lowenstein says the combination of the ratings, parental education, voluntary retail enforcement of the ratings and the recent announcement that all next-generation consoles will include parental controls renders the bill "unnecessary."
"There is now a continuum of tools from the store to the home enabling parents to take charge of video games their kids play," he says. "It is now up to them to do their jobs as they see fit, not up to government to do it for them."
Clinton says this legislation is not to censor video games, it is "about protecting children." Lieberman says the same, and that this legislation, which will impose fines on retailers that sell the restricted games to minors, is necessary to keep games intended for adults from being purchased by minors. (dm)
Source: GameDaily Biz
==================
NG: Parents who are concerned about M/AO rated games better make good use of excersizing those tools to be better parents taking full responsibility, while game developers should have the creative freedom to do what they want in making their games on consoles.
For myself, this dosen't bother me since i'm old enough to buy the games I want to buy and play.
