New Bill Would Restrict Sale of Video Games to Minors 650
RobinH writes: "According to this article at MSN, "A bill introduced in Congress last week would make it a federal crime to sell or rent violent video games to minors," and it "would apply to games that feature decapitation, amputation, killing of humans with lethal weapons or through hand-to-hand combat, rape, car-jackings, aggravated assault and other violent felonies." We know that sometimes kids who are never exposed to alcohol until they are 19 or 21 can go way overboard the first time... is there a possibility of the same thing happening with violent video games?" Here's CNN's story as well.
What about downloads? (Score:2, Interesting)
I love this quote! (Score:5, Interesting)
"When kids play video games, they assume the identity of the characters in the games.
--quote off
Right, so has this guy played with GI-Joes, Cops and robbers, played cowboys and indians, drew pictures of tanks or planes, or basically ever done what was considered 'normal' play time by parents before video games were invented.
The only real difference between video games and real games is that video games are automated. Video games are like the ultimate babysitter, much better then the TV. I mean for the low low price of 50 dollars you can keep you children entertained for hundreds of hours ( sports, rpgs ). Even the crappiest of games can keep a child entertained for at least 5-10 hours, which is very economical. Cheaper then a REAL babysitter.
Laws like this always remind me the the episode of the simpsons where Marge drops maggie off at the day care center, is about to leave with another parent and says "we should leave them alone". So the other parent goes, turns on the TV, and they leave. (1st season, the Dr. Marvin Monroe Episode)
Open Source games (Score:5, Interesting)
Such bills create countereffect (Score:3, Interesting)
It's the same with video games: I used to be a video game addict when I was younger. I still like to play games, but I can stay away from them if I want.
Take the games away from the kids, and you'll get a bunch of grown up people playing games.
This is not a bill that is meant to pass (Score:5, Interesting)
Many, many bills are introduced that the introducers have no intention of passing. They are used for only one purpose -- to show to their constituents and say "See? I tried to prevent another Columbine from happening".
They know the bill is stupid. They also know it won't pass. But the attempt will look good at the next election.
The moral of the story? Don't get your underwear all twisted over this.
(Not) natural-born killers (Score:2, Interesting)
The deal is not that the video games will make you shoot someone; the deal is that they teach you to shoot straight IF you get angry enough to shoot someone AND you get your hands on a gun.
Grossman's hypothesis is that by and large humans are not natural-born killers -- we are like Kubrick and Clarke's apes who stand around posturing and showing our teeth (road rage?) at other apes until we are taught how to kill. In other words, pointing a gun at someone and pulling the trigger is contrary to an animal instinct in us humans not to kill our own kind.
He goes on to argue that Civil War battle casualties would have even higher with the weapons they had if the soldiers could shoot straight instead of mainly over each others heads. He also argues that the American army will kick Third World ass in any kind of fire fight (18 American dead against hundreds of Somali fighters), not because of better weapons but because American soldiers have been trained to shoot-to-kill.
He again goes on to say that shooter games are pretty much the same kind of psych conditioning (shooting practice at human-shaped popup targets) used to train American troops.
With Columbine and now with the German tragedy, not only do you have kids acting on their rage with guns, they have the reflexes and deadly aim of a U.S. Special Forces soldier to kill so many so quickly.
The German tragedy suggests gun control is ineffective (access to illegal guns) and I suppose there can be access to illegal video games. But there needs to be some recognition of the effect of shooter games, not from some Moral Majority bluenoses but from someone who should know (Grossman, an Army Special Forces shrink), that there is a scientific basis to be concerned about their effect.
video games featuring rape? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:The problem is overreaction... (Score:3, Interesting)
parents raise their children the way they see fit (as long as it falls with in the law)
children do not raise them selfs.
raising requires control of stimulouse. if a parent decides they do not want their child to play violent games because they will rot the kids head (yes I know it is stupid) then so be it. it is there decision, not the childs and not the governments. this law does not let the government decide anything, the parent remains in control and has even a greater ability to exercise that control.
Government != Parent (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm yet to see and solid evidence that playing a video game that portrays violence will turn kids into murdering little monsters. Or any of the other 'FUD' the proponents of these laws like to toss out there.
Did we push people off cliffs because we saw While-E-Coyote survive a 900 foot drop - several times an episode? Do we run people off the road because we played a lot of Carmageddon? Did Dungeons and Dragons turn its players into Satan Loving Sinners? Obviously not.
Does Congress think kids are too stupid to tell the difference between a video game and real life?
Do they think they are better suited to raise our kids than we are?
Sorry. If I don't want my kid playing violent video games, I don't let her. It's not the government's place to get involved here. This isn't cigarettes or liquor that have well documented harmful side effects. These are fscking video games, that may not be entirely adorable, but aren't going to cause cancer or make kids go psycho.
And no, I don't let my 11 year old play GTA3. but that is my decision, as her parent.
uh, this already happens (Score:2, Interesting)
ps what's wrong with killing hookers to get your money back?
You aren't my freaking parents! (Score:2, Interesting)
Look, the government is trying to parent everyone. That is total crap.
I'm not a minor, but I tell ya what: if they want to tell my children what they can play and leave me out of the equation, then why don't they tell me how to parent?
Letting your child play overly-violent video games is simply bad parenting. You should know what your kid is involved in. Also, violent video games affect different children differently. To say that my purchasing violent video games when I was a child was a bad thing would be a hunk of junk.
Games don't kill people; people kill people. Next thing they're going to do is have a background-check for adults to purchase violent video games.
How far is too far?