Los Angeles To Impose Restrictions On Gaming Cybercafes

Thanks to the L.A. Daily News for its story discussing new safety-related restrictions for cybercafes in Los Angeles, including "restricted hours for children, video surveillance and interior waiting areas." Apparently: "Council members voted 11-0 to place rules on roughly 30 cybercafes in Los Angeles that draw a primarily teenage clientele to play video games on high-speed computers linked to the Internet", following "a melee outside the NetStreet Cafe in Northridge [that] left two people injured in December 2002 [and was linked to Counter-Strike in some stories]." Councilman Greg Smith commented: "Cybercafes are not inherently bad or troublesome, it's the attractive nuisance that they provide to children... It's just the nature of the beast that they draw people late at night and provide a place to go that may attract problems." Update: 07/08 23:56 GMT by S : A commenter points to a detailed analysis of the requirements from someone involved in the negotiations, who concludes: "This is actually a victory for the nascent and struggling [cybercafe] industry."

I Actually Took Part in the Negotiations

[The Importance of]

I was the industry representative for the cybercafe industry who helped negotiate a better deal for the cybercafes. Here is my detailed description of what the ordinance requires: LA City Council Votes to Regulate Cybercafes [corante.com]

Good news..

[QuantumRiff]

When do the restrictions go into effect for the malls, theaters, and coffee shops that also attract teenagers?

Seriously, when are we going to stop legislating absolutely everything.. Do politicians own stock in paper mills?

Re:Good news..

[Ieshan]

This is the kind of uninspired post that will likely get moderated up.

Gaming is a high adrenaline, competitive activity. It's a lot of fun, but it can be tough on the nerves for cybercafe frequenters. I know. I used to work at one.

The cybercafe I worked at was also in an arcade (which was there long before the cybercafe was installed), and the arcade was required to post Police duty on Friday and Saturday nights and have security detail for after-hours Cybercafe operation.

But, hey, your post is a great i

Re:Good news..

[KDR_11k]

So every casino and strip club should be able to set its own age restrictions? Every bar can define drinking age different? If the rules make sense you could argue the place would have implemented them anyway so the gov is just helping the lazy ones that tend to forget a rule or two...

Re:Good news..

[bhawbaker]

when the kids wise up and behave

Sounds like the police are just throwing their

[foidulus]

hands up in the air on this one. My bet is that they tend to have a much harder time dealing with these (sometimes very violent) asian gangs than other gangs simply because it is a lot harder to get inside these gangs. They come from very tight communities and in most cases don't even speak a language that the cops can undertsand. Seems like by the police are trying to take away areas were the gangs could potentially have a conflict. However to me it doesn't sound like a very effective plan... if they a

What's the big deal?

[I_Love_Pocky!]

They do this sort of thing in China all the time. I mean it isn't like giving the government the ability to spy on whom ever they want would ever lead to problems.

Honestly what the heck are they thinking down there? Doesn't anyone care about freedom anymore? Communists!

Re:What's the big deal?

[Loie]

oh come on mods, insightful? he's got to be kidding.

personally, if i were running any business in LA i would want video surveillance all over the damn place. And the article never said the government would be running the tapes, just that a new law would require the businesses to have it. Regardless, who cares who runs it? the "evil government" isn't going to bother a bunch of kids playing counter-strike until somebody ends up DEAD, and if my kid has to be "spied on" while fragging at a public business

So is this the new cause of todays problems?

[NickMc2000]

Seriously people, come on. Is this the new thing that is corrupting our youth? I know that the article did not actually say that, but it was infering to it. This must be the line of thought of these people forming the laws-"The cafe is a place where young people congregate and there seems to be some crime there...well i guess we better start regualting that place." Why not look at the causes at the problems, not the effects. Why is there crime there? Did it have anything to do with the cafe? Will this law really change anything?

in Northridge

[chris_mahan]

That's the one I go to, where Kinko's used to be next to where Common Grounds used to be (dang I miss that place).

Its pretty quiet over there.

They have a security guard, and the cops come by in the parking lot once in a while.

Nowadays, though, there's a lot of women, mothers, and regular people just doing internet, printing, and students doing term papers.

(they wisely split the space in two: a warzone (dark, neony, loud) and the rest (headphones, light, etc)

About 10 of their PC don't actually have any games.

their website: netstreet.net (i think)

It's at reseda and prairie, 91325.

Re:in Northridge

[chris_mahan]

Actually, it may be the other one I used to go to, just up the street, next to starbux. Reseda just south of plummer. Next to El Torito parking lot.
That one is now shut down. it was called netzone if I recall properly?

Re:in Northridge

[readpunk]

"I don't date 818", leave the cesspool now before it's too late

Re:in Northridge

[chris_mahan]

It is too late...

Am already married :)

Nerdification

[servognome]

Zine does not directly blame cyber games for the violence but rather youth gangs that congregate in such places without proper supervision.
Amazing when cyber cafe's become stomping grounds for youth gangs. The s0uth$ide Athl0nZ getting violent with the e@st$ide SC$Izz

Re:Nerdification

[foidulus]

heh, these aren't your typical bloods and crypts. They are basically an extension of the gangs in places like Vietnam and Korea. And they hate eachother as bad, if not worse, than the participants of the gang wars of the late 80's early 90's. They also tend to only fight amongst other asians, and a lot of the crime goes unreported.
more info here [nagia.org]
It's also difficult for police to deal with these gangs because of hte large cultural and language barriers. I think this is just an attempt to keep them out

Re:Nerdification

[Idealius]

FYI: "Crips", not "crypts".

One is a gang, the other is storage for the dead, and YES: I'm an asshole. (^_^)

Re:Nerdification

[Gogo Dodo]

If it were only nerds that was the problem. Unfortunately, it's regular street gangs killing each other.

OMG!!!!! Wall HACK@$$

[elasticwings]

So when the brawl broke out, was anybody using an aimbot or other cheat method?

They did the same to Arcades too

[Anonymous Coward]

Video Arcades were the subject of this as well in the 80's. In some cities, so many rules were imposed it made arcade go out of business sooner than they would have otherwise.

counter-strike is the devil!

[starblazer]

being a Center Manager, I dont really doubt them, however, some of the rules just seem outlandish. I mean, Counter-Strike is a game. People take it for real life. The people who annoy me the most are CS gamers, and I dont think it's just me.

I don't really understand this

[Anonymous Coward]

Quote:

Another requirement is that the ratio of each computer user station to floor space not exceed 20 sq ft per station. This is generally not a problem for all but the most sardine-packed cybercafés, though some may have to make some adjustments.

When would you have over 20 sq feet per station?

Blame those gamers!

[SystemR]

Some gamers like to shout when playing, and that is enough to start a fight between gamers. I heard once from a friend that there was a kid who was very good at playing but yells everytime he frags other people. Then one day a gang was playing against him and was losing to him and was annoyed by him yelling "loser" or something. Then BAM! They shot him to dead.

Well, that's what I heard, it was stupid though. If only he could play quietly, his life wouldn't be such a waste. Wouldn't it be better for people

Re:Blame those gamers!

[Idealius]

He's just expressing himself.

Ask yourself, once you realized this would it still bother you enough to shoot someone?

These people are just that -- barely people. If they can't take a little yelling without murdering then they couldn't stand 10 minutes in a bar yet alone a lame-o cybercafé. Yet, I don't see police detailing bars.

I'm not an Aussie and somewhat dated, but..

Australian Institute of Criminology [aic.gov.au]

[PDF] [aic.gov.au]

Studies of Public Drinking

The relationship between alcohol use, tax revenue,

Re:Blame those gamers!

[HoneyBunchesOfGoats]

Some gamers like to shout when playing, and that is enough to start a fight between gamers. I heard once from a friend that there was a kid who was very good at playing but yells everytime he frags other people. Then one day a gang was playing against him and was losing to him and was annoyed by him yelling "loser" or something. Then BAM! They shot him to dead.

And that's what I call Real Ultimate Power.

bars

[magic]

Don't bars have 100x the problem with late night crowds and fights?

-m