Violent games a negative influence on young people, says CA Senator

Violent games are a negative influence on young people, US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) argued at a recent event. As reported by the Associated Press (via Games Industry International), the policymaker said this week in San Francisco that if the game industry continues to make games that glorify guns, Congress may step in.

Feinstein said these games play "a very negative role for young people, and the industry ought to take note of that."

Her argument came as part of a discussion regarding potential legislative action that could be taken following December's schoolhouse massacre in Connecticut where a 20-year-old killed 20 children and six adults being taking his own life.

The shooter was reportedly a "deranged gamer."

"If Sandy Hook doesn't do it, if the knowledge of these video games this young man played doesn't, then maybe we have to proceed, but that is in the future," Feinstein said.

New legislation over the sale of violent games in the US would face an uphill battle. In 2011, the Supreme Court deemed unconstitutional an attempt to legislate violent game sales in the US.

Feinstein is not the only politician to criticize violent games in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting. Last month, US Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-DW) said the industry must lessen the "obscene levels of violence" in games.