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Video Games Not Protected Form of Speech

Posted by Hemos on from the looking-for-more-information dept.

E-Rock writes "Video Games are lumped with child porn as unprotected forms of speech. "A federal judge said local governments can limit children's access to violent or sexually explicit video games, saying games are not constitutionally protected forms of speech." Story with limited details at Nando."

6 of 472 comments (clear)

  1. Don't they do this already? by SplendidIsolatn · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I know at my local stores, if you want to buy a 'M'ature game, you have to show ID if you appear under 17. There are games which, quite frankly, aren't appropriate for that crowd. It's just the same as buying adult magazines and stuff--they won't let you in/let you buy if you're not of age. What's the big deal here?

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    sig--we don't need no goddamn sig
  2. This ruling is troubling, the original law wasn't by Mantrid · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The original law that was to be simply limited underage children:

    "The ordinance, passed in 2000, would require children under 17 to have parental consent before they can buy violent or sexually explicit video games or play similar arcade games. "
    (from the article)

    I don't see anything wrong with this; it's the same way with movies in many places.

    The problem is, of course, that once video games aren't protected as free speech, that they can start cracking down on whatever they feel like cracking down on.

    Better protect your copies of GTA3!

  3. How is that possible? by seldolivaw · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If (at least in some states) source code is free speech, and games are just the result of that code, I don't see how this is going to hold up under appeal. IANAL (obviously).

  4. Leisure Suit Larry by smack_attack · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What about games that are porn? Am I the only person who actually enjoyed playing this series? It was risque, witty and very entertaining. Amazing that something so forward thinking hasn't been bothered to be duplicated with current game technology.

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    Hammer of Truth
  5. choice bit by startled · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "Limbaugh said he reviewed four different video games and found 'no conveyance of ideas, expression, or anything else that could possibly amount to speech.'"

    Well, then, that's settled. I agree with the "four items, one judge" standard. Next up: books! Find four books, and a judge who thinks those four are devoid of substance, and I think we can all agree we can rightfully declare that at that point, books would become "non-speech".

    After books, of course, the next thing to lose its speech status should be speeches!

  6. Ultima as a religion by codexus · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I could find 4 games but instead I'll concentrate on one series of games. Since one example is enough to prove that not all games are devoid of content that should be protected as free speech. In Ultima IV, Richard Garriot (aka. Lord British) invented a system of beliefs for his imaginary world. I won't go into the details but this elaborate system promotes the following of eight virtues (such as compassion, justice, and so on). Now Lord British has received mail from people who told him how their life had changed because of that insight, that they had become better persons. This game influenced those people on a moral level, religious even. How can such a game not be protected by free-speech?

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    True warriors use the Klingon Google