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The Courts Government Entertainment Games News

GA Proposes Restricting Game Sales to Minors 100

Posted by Zonk from the my-favorite-hysteria-is-mass-hysteria dept.
HarryCaul writes "The Georgia Legislature has a bill proposing the restriction of sales of video games to minors. This bill is independent of the voluntary ratings in that it would prohibit the sale of "especially heinous, atrocious or cruel" games to children. Another bill from the same legislator would take the more reasonable step of requiring stores to post a sign explaining the video game rating system. From the article: "The video game proposal is one of several like it being introduced across the country. Lawmakers in North Carolina, Illinois and Michigan are among those considering similar measures."
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GA Proposes Restricting Game Sales to Minors More

GA Proposes Restricting Game Sales to Minors

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  • Glad I'm 20 (Score:3, Interesting)

    by jlefeld ( 814985 ) on Monday February 07, 2005 @10:28AM (#11596579)
    Glad this wasn't around when I was like 12 and buying Doom. I still have never had anyone id me to buy an M rated game though. My 13 year old brother got ided when he bought GTA and they still let him buy the game.
    • Glad this wasn't around when I was like 12 and buying Doom.

      Buying Doom? *pshaaw!* You rich little brat!

      Being the poor teenager of that time with hardly any money for gas much less a $50 game, I had to resort to the old "diskcopy A:" discount.
      • Doom shareware cost the price of a download or a copy on floppy.
        Registering Doom to get the rest of the game cost $40 back then (If I remember the registration screen correctly) but now ID only wants $25 and you get 5 stages intead of 3.
  • i dont know why this is really news, i mean, they've had this in washington state fer a while now, and im shur a lot of other states too.
    • But it isn't enforced too well. Since I'm 17, I'm not supposed to be able to buy GTA:SA. Electronics Boutique didn't care beyond being 17 for a mature rated game. Also, reading the article, the proposed GA law seems to broad. "Violence without signs of remorse", would block out Metroid, Castlevania, most Final Fantasies, and even fucking Mario would be banned under this law, since I've never seen Mario show remorse for killing legions of Goombas and Koopas. Thank good our law is only violence towards p
      • personally, i feel that the use of two cases in english ought to be deprecated, as capitalization serves no grammatical purpose not already provided for by either punctuation or context (precedent: the title of books tend to be fragmentary and have no period, thus their context gives their content meaning). as for spelling errors, i generally attempt to write simpler phrases in the vernacular, as i feel that in informal writing it eases the general flow. noteably in that vein, i use the spelling "shur" as a
    • The washington state law was struck down as unconstitutional awhile back. Read here: http://www.mediacoalition.org/legal/Maleng/Lasniks ummaryjudgment.pdf

  • Pros/Cons (Score:2, Insightful)

    by bubblewrapgrl ( 189933 )
    On the one hand, this seems like a good idea. It holds the stores responsible for not enforcing the policies that they have in place - mainly fining them for selling (or renting) M-rated games to minors. Great, I guess.

    On the other hand, I'm not really sure that this will fix the problem of uninformed parents buying and renting the games for their children. I don't have a problem with people deciding that it's ok that their child plays a game. I have a problem with parents not knowing what the game is

    • Re:Pros/Cons (Score:3, Informative)

      by SiliconJesus ( 1407 ) *
      The only way to fix the latter is to have parents be aware of the rating system on games. I'm not sure what else the gaming industry can do other than having the ratings there, and possibly forcing all rental / sales places to display the code and have them talk to parents about the game's details for any game rated "Teen" or above so the parents know what they're getting into. Sadly, most of the people selling games (especially at places like Wal*Mart or the likes) don't have a clue when it comes to game

    • Re:Pros/Cons (Score:2, Insightful)

      by stpitner ( 164196 )
      I agree that the problem is not only uninformed parents, but parents that don't care AND those that don't realize what their kids are picking up on. I was watching 3 kids the other day, ages 4, 5, and third was about 7. All three were talking about how they love Halo 2 and they love going around and killing the other guys. That's not cool. Then later they were making guns out of tinkertoys and pretending to shoot each other no matter how hard I tried to get them to imagine building something else.

      What

      • Re:Pros/Cons (Score:3, Insightful)

        by tha_mink ( 518151 )
        I agree that the problem is not only uninformed parents, but parents that don't care AND those that don't realize what their kids are picking up on. I was watching 3 kids the other day, ages 4, 5, and third was about 7. All three were talking about how they love Halo 2 and they love going around and killing the other guys. That's not cool. Then later they were making guns out of tinkertoys and pretending to shoot each other no matter how hard I tried to get them to imagine building something else.

        What m
      • Games for the Cube:
        Mariokart
        Pikmin
        FZeroGX

        Shall I continue? There are also others for the PS2 such as DDR and many RPGs.

  • Good thing (Score:3, Informative)

    by yotto ( 590067 ) on Monday February 07, 2005 @10:39AM (#11596706) Homepage
    I won't say "You can mod me down if you want, but..." because I hate it when people say that.

    But...

    I think this is a Good Thing(tm). They've been doing it with movies for ever and I don't remember it destroying my civil liberties when I was a child.
    • I won't say "You can mod me down if you want, but..." because I hate it when people say that.

      Well, I won't say that I won't say "you can mod me down if you want, but...", because I hate it when people say that they won't say that since the only reason they say that is to say that without actually saying that they're saying that.

      So you may mod me down for saying that I wouldn't say that I won't say "you can mod me down if you want, but...",

      But...

      Yeah, I agree with the parent.

    • Law? (Score:2)

      by phorm ( 591458 )
      This is a real question not a rhetorical one (I'm not in the US so I don't know the law). But is the restricted sale of movies mandated by law or by policy?I figure that hardcore porn might be legally-restricted, but what about other stuff?

  • Can't buy videogames... (Score:5, Informative)

    by LordEd ( 840443 ) on Monday February 07, 2005 @10:41AM (#11596735)
    ...but they can buy a shotgun or rifle [vpc.org] without ID?
    Georgia Firearm Laws

    * No licensing or registration requirements related to purchase or possession of any firearms.

    * No waiting period for purchase of handguns, shotguns, or rifles.

    * There are no age restrictions related to possession of rifles or shotguns.

    (yes, i know there are responsible youth gun owners, but which requires more responsibility... guns or video games?)

    • Re:Can't buy videogames... (Score:4, Informative)

      by clausiam ( 609879 ) on Monday February 07, 2005 @11:29AM (#11597289)
      While I mostly agree with the point you're trying to make you did selectively post just some of the statements. You "forgot" this one:

      It is a felony for a person to intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly sell or provide a handgun to any person less than 18 years of age. Parents and legal guardians may, however, allow possession of a handgun by a minor for such purposes as detailed above. In addition, under federal law, federally licensed firearms dealers may not sell a handgun to anyone under 21 years of age.

      • Handguns, yes. OTOH...I'm reminded of some webcomic-or-another (I forget which, if someone could remind me, That'd be great...) which ran a strip approximating this: Kid: I'd like a copy of Quake III Arena and a shotgun. Salesman: You know I can't sell you that, it's dangerous. 12 or 16 gauge? Seriously, hunting rifles or GTA--which would you prefer the sixteen year old you pass on the street--or who lives in your house--or is your kid--to have?
    • Notice that you said "... no age restrictions related to possession of rifles or shotguns." You have to be 18 to purchase a shotgun or rifle, Federal law.

      To answer your quesiton firearms requires more responsibility. That's probably why few youth possess firearms than video game systems.

    • There has never, in any state been a waiting period for purchasing rifles or shotguns. Nor do they require you to regester any of them or have liscenses to own them.

      However, there was a madatory 3 day waiting period in all states during the 1990's, which was put into place so that propper background checks could be done to insure that handguns weren't sold to felons. With modern computers and inter-state networks there is no need for them anymore. It can be done in a matter of seconds by calling a natio
      • There are no age restrictions on rifles or shotguns because rifles and shotguns are hunting weapons.


        Some rifles and shotguns are hunting weapons.

        There appear to be many many types of gun which clearly have no application to hunting.

        If you need a 50 round magazine to take out bambi, you're not hunting. You're expending ammo for the fun of it.

  • NEWSFLASH (Score:5, Funny)

    by fwitness ( 195565 ) on Monday February 07, 2005 @10:45AM (#11596777)
    This just in:

    In a nationwide first, all 50 states have agreed to pass state-specific laws relegating parenting to the government in various degrees. Local governments will ensure that children play the appropriate games, watch the appropriate movies, and hear apprporiate radio stations. In addition 'teen-camps' will be set up with handy drop off zones for parents (most open 24 hours). Parents are not required to pick up their children, or actually know the childs interests or first names.

    Local residents appear to be largely in favor of this bold move. Sandy Jones of Smithington, PA said "Well it's about time. I can't tell you how many times whats-his-name has done some stuff to piss me off. You wanna hit 'em, you know? But you're not allowed to these days. It's a big relief to know I'll be able to drop the devil spawn off into the hands of a responsible, accurate, and accountable organization like the US government."

    Some city services are already beaming at the economic opportunites. The transit authority is in the process of setting up a VIP program for parents, picking children up at their very front doors.

    Reasonable, intelligent people could not be reached for comment.
    • Screw the mods, that was funny, sarcastic, and insightful all at once. Well done laddy, well done... I agree 100%.
      • I agree. It seems the cenosormongers, child adovates and the "government should control every aspect of our lives and our children's lives" morons have taken over slashdot.
    • I must have missed the part where it said that you (as a parent) were no longer allowed to buy that M-rated game for your child. That would be the government taking over parenting. Unless having no f***ing clue what your kids are doing is considered a form of parenting. In that case, this would definitely be infringing.
      • You're *allowed* to home school your children also. And they would probably learn a lot more than in today's public schools. But why bother? I can just send them off to public school and let them deal with it.

        It's not that you're forbidden to parent. It's that the more we make laws which make it easier for parents to neglect their responsibilities, the more those laws will be used and abused.

        I'm actually for laws regulating content similar to movies, I'm just sick of videgames getting a bad reputatio

  • OT: "restrict to" is weird. (Score:3, Interesting)

    by artifex2004 ( 766107 ) on Monday February 07, 2005 @10:45AM (#11596779) Journal
    Depending on usage, it can mean opposite things. If you restrict game sales to minors, that's supposed to mean it limits their ability to buy, but as dictionary.com points out, restricting land to recreational use means it should only be used for that purpose.

    I always thought that there were actually two phrases, restricting from as well as restricting to something, but apparently that's not common usage.
  • if I read the original Grimm's Fairy Tales to my kids?

    sheesh.

  • wow (Score:1)

    by ted1488 ( 832376 )
    i thought that the ratings system was a law restricting the sale of certain games to minors. i guess that im wrong though. i think that some of these laws are going too far in trying to protect these kids. i mean i know that they shouldnt be seeing someone get cut to peices or get a lap dance, but where are the parents when their kids are doing this stuff. maybe im missing something because im not a parent myself, but we cant just keep making laws to try and protect these kids from this stuff. There has to

    • Re:wow (Score:3, Informative)

      by Ra5pu7in ( 603513 )
      No, the ratings system has never had any force of law behind it. The ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) was established by a software industry trade association and is voluntary. It has been presented to Congress and praised, but nothing is formalized.

      Keep in mind that the parents and adults who push for these laws are seldom concerned about their own kids getting hold of these games. They are positive that won't happen. However, they think that no moral, intelligent parent would ever buy anyth
  • damn, i'm not a minor anymore, won't be able to get doom 3.

  • Anecdocal evidence (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Txiasaeia ( 581598 )
    Okay, so I volunteer with Big Brothers. My Little Brother has been trying to get his mom to let him buy Prince of Persia 2 (not original, gamecube game), but she's been hesitant because it's rated "M." He finally somehow convinced her by showing her some trailers and saying "it's exactly the same as the last one!" even though we all know it's not. So what has he been talking about for the last month? The best way to rip somebody's head off, or how cool a noise it makes when you sneak up behind somebody

    • Re:Anecdocal evidence (Score:3, Insightful)

      by ted1488 ( 832376 )
      Why should the gov't be responsible be people not raising their kids right. i agree with you that your LB shouldnt be playing that kind of a game, but what more can the gov't do to prevent this. they cant send someone out to watch over every parents shoulder and when a parent lets their kid do something that they shoudnt, that man cant be there to slap the parents fingers and tell them "no!" the government can not control the way that parents raise their kids, it all comes down to old fashion parenting.
      • They can (GASP!) censor such violence in games? They can force game companies to release two versions of a game, one with all gore & such violence removed, the other with it fully enabled? I dunno. I really don't see the need to break people's necks in a video game (apparently it takes 10 seconds or so to do this?) so I guess I just don't get it in the first place.

        Tell me: does anybody here really *want* this level of violence? If you've played the game and can comment, please do so!

        • Why are you bitching at us? You need to go bitch to your mom, who bought the game. Vote with your dollars. You can even vote with other peoples dollars. Fuck you and your "forcing" other people to release things you think your little brother should have. Video games are an opt-in medium. Maybe you should wonder why your little brother likes the violence. Maybe the problem is that your little brother is a cretin who should be locked away so he doesn't pollute Good Kids(tm) with his nasty violent thoughts. Or
          • My mom has nothing to do with it either, being that i'm talking about my Little Brother's mom (as in Big Brothers; you know, volunteer work). What is the problem with releasing two different versions of any given game? How is that impeding your "enjoyment" of the game with the neck-breaking and all, and my LB's enjoyment of the game without such gore and blood?

            BTW, it takes a big man to swear at somebody on the Internet. You must feel very proud at yourself right about now.

        • Yes I want that level of violence. Not necessisarily in any particular game, but in those that are violent, I expect the requisite violence.

          Now if it was a version of tetris where the blocks fell on the necks of helpless puppies until they cracked or something, then yeah, that might be a place you can cut corners.

          However, along with any discussion of a)violence, b)kids, c)entertainment I also expect a)whiny liberals calling for government control instead of personal responsibility, b)bitchy conservatives
    • I KNEW it. Big Brother IS watching us!
    • In a case like this, my opinion is that you should bring your concerns about the game and describe what you've heard your Little Brother talking about to his mother. Then the two of you should sit down with your LB and have a nice long chat about the difference between reality and fantasy. Depending on how mature he is, he may be well aware of the line between the two -- and in that case, there may be less of a reason for concern. On the other hand, if the line's blurry, his mother may take action and re

  • Why this won't make a difference (Score:3, Insightful)

    by XxtraLarGe ( 551297 ) on Monday February 07, 2005 @11:19AM (#11597168) Journal
    I was in Walmart not too long ago, and there was this Mother and her 9 to 11 year old son with her. She was buying him a copy of "Max Payne"--an M-Rated game--for the PS2. Most kids don't have the $20-$50 it takes to buy a new game, it's the parents that buy most of them, so what difference does it make if the parents are buying M-Rated games for their kids?
    • I think this is a good law because now politicians can't demonize the game makers.

      Indeed, most parents buy 'M'-rated games for their kids (I used to work at an elementary school as a tutor and recall detailed descriptions of GTA:VC from a Kindergartener), which I have no problem with. I just want the politicians to shut up about the big bad gaming industry when they finally realize that Mom and Pop are buying these games for their kids. Blaming Mom and Pop won't win anyone any votes.
      • I think this is a good law because now politicians can't demonize the game makers.

        You're new here, aren't you. :-) Politicians never stop demonizing a convenient scapegoat. After this law fails to make any difference, it will just make them want to pass stronger, more restrictive laws.

  • Where do the kids get the money to buy games? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by EhobaX ( 593420 ) on Monday February 07, 2005 @11:19AM (#11597175)
    When I was a kid I barely had enough money to buy a comic book once a month. Now it seems that kids have enough cash flow to buy M-rated games and what not at the drop of a hat. I think I grew up in the wrong generation. :P Back on topic, I agree that kids shouldn't be allowed to buy M-rated games. It's the same deal as movies, books, or any other medium. Of course, it's ultimately up to the parents and how they want to bring up their kids. What's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander.

  • About time this came up in legislature (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Camien ( 737205 ) on Monday February 07, 2005 @11:24AM (#11597236)
    I know when I was younger my parents were generally always making sure I wasn't doing things I wasn't supposed to, but on those occasions that they allowed me to run off by myself, if I wanted to go see a rated R movie, I wouldn't have been able to get in. I ask you, really, what is the difference between enforcing laws that keep kids from watching movies that have been deemed too violet or sexual or whatnot, to keeping them from being able to buy games of the same nature without parental consent? Nothing really.. If the parents allow it then the kid can still do it, this will hopefully just make the parents realise that maybe they shouldn't get their kid "game x" because it is rated mature, maybe they'll pay a little more attention to what they buy now.
    • You do realize there are no such laws for movies, books and other mediums right. Hell books don't even have a rating system. Any kid can walk in a bookstore and buy the lastest Stephen King bloodbath novel. But God forbid if it's in video game form. OH NO!!!
      • There might not be laws that force movie theaters to screen who is allowed to watch their movies, the MPAA makes sure their rules are followed else the theaters won't be given the opportunity to do so. This is the type of self-regulation that should go on in the gaming industry, but, obviously no one has stepped up to force retailers to take heed to the ESRBs rating system so now the government has decided to get involved.

        On the book part, how many kids do you know today that would go into a book store
        • Actually i'm pretty sure i read a recent study from the FCC that showed that it was easier for minors to buy R or unrated DVDs and videos from retailers then it was for them to buy "M" rated video games.
          Also many retailers have I.D. checks for "M" rated games but don't for buying an R or "unrated" rated DVD or movie.
          As for saying that most kids rent the R rated movies or play the "M" rated video games only for the extreme gore, ect as opposed to those who read books. Well i'd say that's kinda discrimitory.

    • if I wanted to go see a rated R movie, I wouldn't have been able to get in.

      For one, there's no law that says that, the MPAA sets that rule and forces theaters to comply.

      Of course, you probably would have had no problem buying a ticket for a G rated movie then slipping into the R rated movie in spite of the increadibly attentive and conscientious teen-aged minimum wage earning employees.

      Of course, while most theaters won't sell a ticket for an R rated movie to kids, most video stores won't even notic

      • That was exactly my point. the MPAA took it upon themselves to try to govern themselves so legislation wouldn't have to. As of yet, the game industry has yet to do the same. If there were a GDAA(?) then maybe they could keep stores that weren't heeding the ESRB ratings in check a little better since all the developers would be putting up a unified front. And yes, in the end I do realize it all becomes moot because the kids that want the games bad enough will find someone to buy the games for them, but t

        • but the point of all this is that it is a roundabout way to inform parents that aren't paying enough attention to their kids.

          If they're not paying enough attention to notice that their kids are playing mature games featuring shootouts with cops and such, which are clearly marked as being for mature audience now, I fail to see how they will notice that their kids are buying them with a fake ID or by bribing someone's older brother (or whoever). After all, all those gunshot and explosion sounds (not to me

          • I think it's highly probable that this proposed law has a lot more to do with pretending to be "doing something" about "the problem" than it does with protecting children from a real threat.

            I wish this didn't have to occur and it doesn't but constituents of representatives and senators seem to think that games are causing these problems and want to see them regulated, so thusly, they are being regulated. It shouldn't have to happen, but the way the system is now, there isn't anyone making the rules (and

  • That's no good! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Xaroth ( 67516 ) on Monday February 07, 2005 @11:36AM (#11597364) Homepage
    If they restrict the sales of video games to minors, how will us adults purchase our video games?! Soon, we'll have to stand outside of the local game shop, asking 14 year old kids if they'd be willing to buy a game for us, and...

    Oh, wait. They mean that sales of video games to minors will be restricted. I suppose that's a little different, then.
  • From the article:

    It would restrict games that show graphic pain or suffering, show violence that would be a crime in real life, have characters that commit violence without remorse and have sound or other effects meant to enhance the violence.

    That would apply to most RTS games as well. I'm currently playing Kohan II and so is my 11 year old son (who's beating me most of the time). It's a great strategical game (think Warcraft without the micro-managing click-fest aspect) and I bet no-one would conside

  • From the text of the article, it's not banning M-rated games sold to children. It's banning:

    "games that show graphic pain or suffering, show violence that would be a crime in real life, have characters that commit violence without remorse and have sound or other effects meant to enhance the violence."

    In other words they want to establish a SECOND standard outside of the ESRB/ISDA/USFDA/whatever ratings of T and M and so on. Under that banner, even some games that are rated E for everyone would count; don'
  • They love to take the easy way out of things. Since they can't pass a law to make Parents more responsible they do this. Your average kid under the age of 17 doesnt have $50 to spend on violent video games...if they have the money its cuz their parents gave it to them. All this law means is that friends older brothers and drunk guys in the alley will be buying violent games for your children. If you dont want a child having a violent video game, don't let him have a TV in his room, look through his game
  • One of our state representives recently proposed abolishing the instruction of all theory in schools. Yay enlightened government!
    • It'd be good to prevent people from teaching theories as facts. My school wreaked of teachers telling kids to believe this and that with nothing to go on but the teacher's own beliefs. Do you know how many schools are enforcing evolutionism?
  • Oh no! It uses dirty words! Hurry! Someone start up ye olde book burning mobile, and modify it to accept video game cartridges/discs!!!

  • Ah, well, keep your slaves stupid and they won't revolt.

  • Shades of D&D (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Sean Clifford ( 322444 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2005 @09:25AM (#11605954) Journal
    When I was a kid it was D&D that was going to warp our minds and make us go postal. A friend's mom convinced him that he, me, and my friends were going to Hell and was going to turn us into rampaging murderers, so he stole my D&D books, 2 years of adventuring notes, characters, and our collectively built world. They had a good old fashioned book burning at their church.

    Other times the terrible mind warping stuff was books, movies, or music. Now it's videogames.

    Doom, GTA, neck snapping in Price of Persia 2, and virtually storming the beaches at Normandy in Day of Defeat isn't going to turn kids into rampaging pairs of Harris & Klebold any more than D&D turned me and my friends into throat slashing demonically possessed murderers.

    This is *stupid* and so are the legislators pushing it and the people who support it.

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