Unconstitutional Video Game Law Costs California $2 Million 180
An anonymous reader writes "In hopes of protecting the children of California from the ravages of violent video games, then governor Arnold Schwarzenegger attempted to push through a law that would fine retailers $1000 for each infraction of selling a violent game to an underage child. However, in the wake of appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, which struck down the law, California is now forced to pay the legal fees of all parties to the tune of two million dollars."
Pointless (Score:2, Interesting)
Where do you think the government is going to get those two million dollars? From the very tax payers they abused in the first place. What a pointless gesture. This will not deter future governors or legislators from pushing through other unconstitutional regulations.
As much as I like ripping into politicians (Score:5, Interesting)
for wasting money, and granted this was waste in the name of violating rights and legislating morality, when you get down to it $2,000,000 is rather cheap for a screw up of this scale.
(EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE) - from TFA (Score:4, Interesting)
Come on...this should have been submitted in the slashdot summary within the first two or three sentences.
Not Arnold... (Score:2, Interesting)
Created by California lawmaker Former San Francisco Democratic Assemblyman Leland Yee, now a senator, in the hopes of curbing children’s access to games that allow for assassination, violent crimes, rape, etc.
Seems this was a law the Democrats "attempted to push through".
nobodys rights were violated. (Score:3, Interesting)
you dont have a 'right' to sell children simulated experiences of murdering prostitutes and robbing them, any more than you have a 'right' to sell them simulated experiences of fucking prostitutes, or to put cigarette advertising inside of comic books.
of all the actual, real censorship going on in society today, namely, people like Thomas Drake, Stephen Kim, and others being charged with Espionage for simply talking to reporters.... thats what REAL censorship is. i would love to see the people who get butthurt about people disapproving of having 4 year olds simulate murdering prostitutes and dealing drugs, actually speak out against things like the government's treatment of Diane Roark, or the way that Goldman Sachs tries to hush up people talking about oil prices (Leah McGrath Goodman).
oh, but no. lets defend people who want to sell rape fantasies to children. because their rights are what the first amendment is all about. where was the ACLU when Jesselyn Radack was being threatened with prison for simply talking to a reporter about the governments lies? While it is defending video game makers, it did not run to support her.
The ludicrous disconnect between these video game advocates and what is actually, really going on with the first amendment in this country is just mind boggling. Unless, of course, you explain it by the simple profit motive. That is what makes most sense. Regulation of video games would cost money for EA and other 'free speech' advocates. That is why they are against regulation.
Of course, try being an EA employee without signing an NDA agreement. Try being an EA empoyee and talk about forming a Union. Try being a worker at best buy or apple or any other place that sells video games, and talk about better working conditions, higher pay, etc. Then we will see how much these 'free speech advocates' actually care about free speech.... in the end, they make a mockery of themselves. The only regulations they care about are the ones that might hit them in the wallet.
Re:nobodys rights were violated. (Score:4, Interesting)
1972, Pong is released. Violent crime rate in the US (includes murder, rape, and aggravated assault) is 0.2%.
1993, Doom, the first 3rd-person shooter video game, is released. Violent crime rate in the US (includes murder, rape, and aggravated assault) is 0.4%.
2010. Video games, many of them violent and played by surly teenagers, are bigger than movies. Violent crime rate in the US (includes murder, rape, and aggravated assault) is 0.2%.
Source: http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm [disastercenter.com]
Re:there is nothing wrong with a rating system (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm not aware of any such state. Can you identify these "some states"?