US game warning label bill reintroduced

In 2009, Representative Joe Baca (D-California) introduced legislation that would require violent games to carry warning labels advising purchasers that playing such titles was linked with aggressive behavior. The bill was referred to a House subcommittee the following week, and never resurfaced.

Baca was apparently undeterred by the legislative inertia he faced the last time around and has reintroduced the bill in the new session of Congress. The bill--now H.R. 400--was introduced yesterday and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Although the Government Printing Office has not yet published the exact text of the new bill, the title is identical to that of Baca's 2009 effort. Also identical to last time is the bill's first cosponsor, Representative Frank Wolf (R-Virginia). Although the last major action for Baca's previous bill happened the week after it was introduced, it did add four additional cosponsors over the course of two years.

As it was drafted in 2009, the bill sought to require games rated T-for-Teen or higher to carry a label that would read, "WARNING: Excessive exposure to violent video games and other violent media has been linked to aggressive behavior." Although Baca specifically targeted violent games, the language of the legislation made no exception for games rated T-for-Teen or higher that might have coarse language or sexual content but no violence.

While some studies have concluded there is a link between playing violent games and increased aggression, there are those who disagree, both in government as well as in academia.