Empowering the parents? Look what they made with the liberty of getting anything, they just complain while it's thir error in the first place. This does not sound so bad after all.
New bill would make ESRB ratings legally binding
By
Eddie Makuch, News Editor
[UPDATE] Utah congressman's Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act would make it unlawful to sell AO and M games to children, mandate all titles have clearly visible rating; ESA responds.
[UPDATE] Following the publication of this story, the Entertainment Software Association issued a statement on the matter. The ESA said it agrees with representative Matheson's ambitions to make sure parents are in control of the entertainment their children take in, but has issues with the proposed legislation itself.
"The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) shares Representatives Matheson’s goal of ensuring parents maintain control over the entertainment enjoyed by their children," the statement reads. "That is why we work with retailers and stakeholders to raise awareness about the proven Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) system, the parental controls available on every video game console, and the importance of parents monitoring what games their children play."
"However, this type of legislation was already ruled unconstitutional and is a flawed approach. Empowering parents, not enacting unconstitutional legislation, is the best way to control the games children play."
The original story follows below.
A new bill---H.R. 287--introduced to the United States House of Representatives Tuesday would make the Entertainment Software Rating Board's ratings legally binding. Currently, there are no legal ramifications for retailers caught selling age-inappropriate games to children.
The bill--known as Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act--was introduced by representative Jim Matheson (R-Utah) on January 15. It will be discussed as part of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, which is the oldest standing legislative committee in the US House of Representatives.
The committee's responsibilities include the country's telecommunications, consumer protection, food and drug safety, public health research, environmental quality, energy policy, and interstate and foreign commerce.
Under the terms of the bill, it would be unlawful for any person to sell or rent--or attempt to sell or rent--any Adults Only (AO) rated game to any person under the age of 18. In addition, the bill seeks to make it illegal for any M-for-Mature game to be sold to any person under 17.
Further, the bill would make it unlawful for any entity to sell or rent a game that does not contain an ESRB rating label in a "clear and conspicuous location" on its packaging. Should the bill become law, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would have 180 days to create rules mandating that retail establishments display such a rating.
Currently, the ESRB's ratings system is entirely voluntary, though nearly all games sold in the United States are rated by the group. Any person caught violating either of the above terms would be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 per violation.
An ESRB representative was not immediately available to comment.
The Video Games Ratings Enforcement Act comes a month after the deadly elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, that left 20 children and six adults dead. The event has sparked new discussion about the relationship between virtual violence and real-world violence. A town in Southington, Connecticut (just 35 minutes from Newtown) planned to collect and destroy violent video games, among other media, though this effort was later scrapped.
In addition, the National Rifle Association condemned video games during a press event in December, saying such games were partially to blame for the shooting. The NRA also took heat from politicians near and far when it released its own game--NRA: Practice Range--on the one-month anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.
In state-level news, Missouri representative Diane Franklin (R-123rd District) introduced HB 157 to the state's General Assembly this week, proposing that all games rated T, M, or AO carry a 1 percent excise tax. Revenue derived from this initiative would go toward mental health programs in the state.
By
Eddie Makuch, News Editor
Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.
948 comments
Reading the comments, it is so completely obvious that there IS a problem to address. I am sitting here reading comment-after-comment about "tricking" the system, or getting an older friend/relative to buy the game for you, if you are under-age. This is the exact same type of bargaining/scheming that is displayed in drug addicts; find any way possible to get around impediments blocking you from your addiction.
Our children are addicted to violent games, end of story. I don't think I need to expand on this any further. It's not good.
I am a hardcore gamer myself, playing the same games that should be regulated. Unlike most readers on this site though, I can see past my own nose and recognize that sometimes we have to make changes to benefit our society, rather than what's best for myself. This is why 13-year-olds don't create law.
How many perfectly sensible pieces of legislation get thrown out by the US government purely because they're deemed incompatible with a list created and signed hundreds of years ago in a society that hasn't existed for generations?
Surely on the same basis laws punishing retailers who sell alcohol or cigarettes to underage shoppers are just as unconstitutional?
It'll take a brave government to finally re-write that damn constitution to make it relevant once more, or tear it down completely, but until someone does exactly that the US will always be its own worst enemy - and that's saying something!
@briggsy10 That "incomplatible list" allows you to be the dumbass that your being now. And given the current goverment and there level of distrust they have earned you really want them to rewrite it? That "damn constitution" is a building block of this great nation and personally i find your comment to be offensive and moronic and don't bother replying cause nothing you could say would disprove it. Thank you
@diciple @briggsy10 It was never going to be a popular suggestion for the exact reason you just demonstrated - the constitution has become so ingrained and is such a convenient way of avoiding the tough decisions that nothing gets done.
Don't get me wrong, I don't object to the constitution as a concept, it just needs to evolve. Look at industry, technology, culture, society, ethics, law, etc. They all evolve and develop over time naturally. Politics and religion - two of the mightiest influences in the world - do the opposite and rely on old "traditional" values, increasingly to their and our own detriment.
Just because something is traditional doesn't make it right - it may well have been right then, but things change, to deny that is a frankly dangerous mentality to have.
In regards to your hostility to a perfectly valid (and as you pointed out, constitutionally supported) opinion - bear in mind I merely suggested that the people who wrote the constitution may not actually have had the forsight to allow for all those developments over the last 250 odd years.
If you think that's such a radical thought, I sincerely hope logic and reasoning aren't critcal to your success in life.
Thank you too.
violent video games are not to blame for the violent acts we've seen in this beautiful country of mine. dumb/unaware parents? and store clerks are to blame for kids getting violent video games and here's my example:
I live in Connecticut and when the game Capcom Digital Collection came out I went to a gamestop. While I was looking for the game I hear this 8 to 10 year old black kid tell his mother while at the store's register: mom, ask if they have GTA4 and the mom was completely oblivious as to what a GTA4 was. the clerk kept quiet obviously trying to make another sale for after all the mom is buying. when I heard that little kid say those words in my mind I said (OH NO YOU DID INT!), I jumped in and said to the mom: GTA stands for grand theft auto, those games are some of the most violent video games out there and I provided info as to why it was so violent., when the mom heard my info she said: oh no, I will not buy you that!
was? I trying to be responsible or a hero in this situation? HELL NO! I just wanted to steal the kid's happiness! I win! Fatality! buhuhuhuhuhahahahaaaaaaa!
Part of the problem is that many parents still think of games as the old NES and SNES days. They are out of the loop when it comes to the content of video games these days. Even worse are the grandparents who may buy a game like Borderlands for their 10 year old grandchild.
When I was 16 I couldn't buy M rated games which I thought was MORONIC because I would just come back later with either one of my friends or my Dad who knew I could actually handle my games unlike the morons who seem to go off the deep end with violence. So I'm confused, this guy actually thinks it's the KIDS getting the games in the first place? Christmas, Birthdays, the parent's are buying the games for the kids. If a kid wants it, I'll be damned if that kid doesn't get it. Parents are barely parents these days. My Dad didn't let me play M games when I was a young kid and that was when Mortal Kombat was the worst thing around, which I still played at a friend's house who's parents didn't care. But my Dad did pay attention to the ESRB ratings and that's why I couldn't play T and M games until I was like... 8 I think?? I was watching movies that were WAY worse anyway by that time. I just don't get how they think this will do anything. It's not like alcohol where the kid can easily drink himself to death, or cigarettes where the parent doesn't want their kid to start smoking anyways. Bleh I'm getting off of here, it's just making me get a migraine from all these silly articles... Time to go kill virtual people! Actually, I'm probably going to go play Civ V and learn micro management and diplomacy. If I have to kill some people along my way to victory... so be it... but it'll be their fault!
1 Like I don't care about this because they aren't preventing me from doing anything and parents have obviously shown an ineptitude to parenting resposibly, I'm tired of hearing how hard it is it takes zero effort to Google the video game you're buying your child before you buy it for them. Idiots. I take far more issue with the restrictions on television content and the apology-first culture we live in.
This would suck for a video-game retailer employee if he/she accidentally sold an M rated game to a sixteen year old. I know some teenagers that look like they are in their twenties. Cover your assets. Always check IDs.
4 Like "However, this type of legislation was already ruled unconstitutional and is a flawed approach. Empowering parents, not enacting unconstitutional legislation, is the best way to control the games children play."
Couldn't have said it better myself. I'm just sick of piss poor parents blaming everything in the world except the true culprit: Their utter lack of parenting skills. TV and video games are a bad substitute for parental affection and NEVER serve as a viable babysitter.
@Roweb0t sadly they will still blame the games... I have wished for a day where AO games could actually co-exist with us. Sadly that day will NEVER come. I have to mod/hack my games to tear the M rated coat off of an AO rated game which really sucks. It takes too much time, I'm a damn adult, give me adult games!
If this passed Halo, CoD and probably XboxLive will be in a problem. To think Halo looks like a T game, at least for me (not a critic).
@santinegrete I've always thought that too; it's not ultra-violent by ANY means. It's crazy when you compare Halo to any other M rated shooter huh? Like sure.. you do kill "people" but the humanity isn't there because it's a guy inside of a huge metal suit. I never even thought of it as killing aliens AND people because I always thought of spartans as cyborgs.... I don't know if that's silly but I definitely think I get what you're talking on with Halo.
This should have been done 15 years ago. How many mommies buy M rated games for their 8 year old?????
i cant say i mind this, There is just some games i dont think little timmy should be playing, and ultimately it will come down to the parents to agree or disagree with their childs wishes, but to be fair, i dont want some guy trying to turn a profit selling extremely violent media to my kid. id like to be in a position where i can be sure, my kid understands what is going on in said media, not because i wish to oppress my kid, but because i want to be sure said kid isnt negatively impacted by such media. As for the shooting, i agree, such legal binding to the ESRB wouldnt have prevented a damn thing, he was old enough to buy whatever he wanted, so its a moot point.
I don't think it is in question what precipitated this: the Newtown shooting. What is certainly still in question is whether or not Adam Lanza played video games at all and whether video game violence causes real violence. Furthermore, the guy was not a teen, he was of an age to buy any game he wanted (if he played them, which we still don't know). NONE of these reactions to Newtown, either with guns or games, would have prevented it.
I am against this bill, as long as they are guidelines, the parents have a choice. I say that you should only go a year or two under the recommended age. But if they pass that law, I guarantee, that it will become the government's standard and not yours. No, this law shouldn't pass as any country with laws of this nature, well, the gamers are complaining about games in general. But then again, I can't blame the government alone for this. Back in the day, they had willing ratings and companies were enforcing them, only parents came into the store complaining "WHY AREN'T YOU SELLING THIS VIOLENT VIDEO GAME TO MY KIDS!?" Only then, parents became outrages (likely something stupid) they began to demand why they were selling these games to their children and demanding laws passed. No, we don't need laws passed, we only need parents to back up the stores and the game companies when they say "No, Timmy, we can't sell you that game, you are underage for the age according to the rating the company gave it!"
(_ _') Seriously, when we should self-regulate, people think we need to pass a law, which only makes the problem worse. When we shouldn't self-regulate, they pass bills up the ying yang. What happened to thinking? Is it a dying art or something?
@Cait Fair enough, except that a great many parents do not take responsibility for raising their own children. How often do you see down the shops a child running riot whilst the parent ignores the chaos or damage they cause? How often do you see them getting their own way in all things?
1 Like I work for a public library. Just the other day, our senior librarian ordered the Terminator for a six year old. Her parents said it was her favorite movie... Hmm...
A dark time for the industry. Ever since I was a kid, the ESRB was a guild-line. One that my parents used. Sigh, so much ignorance today.
Also, doesn't this conflict with the California Supreme Court's ruling that prohibiting violent media to minors violates the Constitution (1st Amendment I think)? I know Federal Law trumps State Law, but I can think of examples with Marijuana, healthcare and Immigration where States don't seem to be bound by Federal Law.
$5,000 per infringement? I know those idiots think everyone has their kind of money, but we don't.
2 Like I've had all I can stand of liberals and their anti-constitutional agendas! This was in fact already ruled on in the supreme court they have NO RIGHT to decide what our kids can buy or play. Parents need to decide. No teller is going to decide for my family. i'm so sick of the obamanoids constant attacks on families and gamers, and gun owners. Get out of our houses already you dirty thieves!
@arcangelgold you are right, parents need to decide, which is why such a ruling, would be beneficial, it would keep your kids for example, from going behind your back, and buying media they shouldnt be able to get, or Gaming stores trying to turn a profit at your childs expense. the choice would be ultimately yours to disagree with your childs wish, or to agree when you think they are mature enough to deal with violent video games.
@arcangelgold Right and this bill makes it so parents have NO ONE to blame but THEMSELVES for when their kid gets these games. This bill does exactly what you're saying so quit raging.
2 Like @arcangelgold It says right in the article that the congressman that proposed this bill was a republican, but by all means keep raging against liberals.
As I said in the other post with Obama and his 10 million dollar research into violent video games...Pulling the trigger on a gun is not the same as pushing your right trigger on your controller. And yet they can't understand that and probably never will either.
@DouglassIndust But a person does both of those actions, the video game and guns have never done anything, so just like the video games, guns are not to blame.
1 Like Why don't smart kids give their money to parents so then they can put the money in the bank so therefor they can buy any game or games they want online. Without someone from Gamestop or whatever store saying you can't buy this game because of the rating little kid, go get another game that suits your age.
2 Like If we do this then not only should we have video game police, but we should have police at places like movie theaters to arrest people selling tickets to R-rated movies for underage kids. We also might as well make it illegal for the parents to circumvent any of these measures. We should make it illegal to show anything violent or sexual on TV until after midnight. The US military should be barred from showing recruitment ads on TV or any place where kids might be subject to their violent suggestions. Family farms should be outlawed as it desensitizes kids to killing in the form of slaughtering animals. Police should not be allowed to visibly carry firearms as this suggests that we live in a culture of violence.
We just need a few more laws and we'll live in a utopia! Tell your congressman.
2 Like @Venge-VS Everyone should just wear blindfolds then the world would be peaceful
4 Like Dumb parents will still buy their kids the games. I am a frequent shopper at Gamestop and I notice this all the time. (I am a parent and I do not allow my kids to play games with a Teen rating and above) All the age restrictions in the world can't regulate stupidity.
Whats the point? age restrictions on mostly all gaming consoles now. And why not just get the game digitally to get around this law?
lol just watch one documentary on how messed up our rating systems for movies are and you will laugh at this.
America, think our problems are bad? wait till you see the solutions!
8 Like The ESRB has been around for almost twenty years and all consoles, handhelds, computers, and phones can use age restrictions. What more do these brainless American politicians want us to do?
@ChargeMan1991 Blame Machelle Obama...Idk if i spelled her name right but anyways why blame her? because she wants everything to be perfect in her little country and probably forces her husband into doing some of the things that he has passed and or is trying to do.
1 Like @ChargeMan1991 They haven't heard of the ESRB because they don't play games so they obviously have no idea that games have ratings anyway. They know about the MPAA because everybody watches movies though. So since they've heard of that they're exempt of course. Because that's not hypocritical...or unconstitutional.
@Jedilink109 @ChargeMan1991 It was ruled to be in California when they tried to enact a similar law. If this law is passed, good luck in the courts is all I have to say.
1 Like Most retailers already follow these rules. I don't see why some people here are getting their panties in a bunch over a PROPOSED bill that would simply punish retailers for breaking those rules. It hasn't been passed and it hasn't been upheld by the courts which have shot down similar laws.
Some people are just dying for something to complain about.
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