Courts Block Washington Violent Game Law

Thanks to Reuters/Yahoo for their report that the enforcement of a Washington state law, designed to restrict the sale of violent video games to minors, has been postponed. U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik blocked enforcement of the law, set to start July 27th, and to impose fines on anyone selling games to minors depicting violence against 'law enforcement officers', saying: "Plaintiffs have raised serious questions regarding the constitutionality of House Bill 1009 and the balance of hardships tips in their favor." Doug Lowenstein of the IDSA praised the move, praising "..the judge's finding that games are a form of protected speech like music and movies", but the Washington Democrat politician sponsoring the bill suggested that "..any injunction would only be preliminary and that.. the case [will] go to trial." The saga continues..

Comments

Re:Duke Nukem Forever

[michaelhood]

1) Mod parent up. 2) Remove stick from rear of moderator. 3) .. 4) PROFIT!!!!

Re:America's Army

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

FDR style work programs? What you are proposing is socialism my friend. FDR pushed socialism down America's throat in order to get out of the depression. The system of economics we have in place supports private industries. The government does not need to cure AIDS and cancer - the government needs to be hands off and allow researchers and scientists to cure AIDS and cancer on their own.

Think of it this way - less government means that there's no laws against violent video games. Furthermore, the people in charge of releasing America's Army are not the same people who wrote the violent video game law. In a huge, multi-sectored government like the U.S., you're going to get hypocrisy from time to time. Pointing it out doesn't in itself prove that the approach is wrong. Violent video games should not be regulated because there is no need for it - it is the parent's responsibility to control what their child plays.

Educational TV and games

[Anonymous Coward]

We have kids watch educational TV and play educational computer games. Everyone says that's great. Especially PBS and the makers of those games.

But let anyone intimate that violent games might be bad, and listen to the squealing: "NO THEY AREN'T!!!".

You can't have it both ways...

Force of the state?

[JKConsult]

Yes it's voluntary [the MPAA movie ratings] but if a minor tries to see a rated 'r' movie they won't let him. And the theater has the force of the state to back them up when they kick the minor out.

You, sir, are what some refer to as a "fool". Whether you're a misguided one or a malicious one remains to be decided.

The theater can use the force of the state to back them up when they "kick the minor out". That's because of those pesky little things called trespassing laws. A private business can ask you to leave the premises for any number of reasons, and violating their rules of entry would place high on the list of available ones. A sports team or playhouse might ask you to leave if you try to sneak into seats that are more expensive than the one you paid for. Not that I disapprove of doing this, because, as they say, "It ain't cheating if you don't get caught." Regardless, the reason you're being removed is because they have the right to ask you to leave.

This, though, does not mean that the movie ratings have "the force of the state" behind them. There is no state or federal statute to deal with minor entry into an R-rated movie. So, as I said, you're a fool. (Note: X or, in web parlance, XXX!!!! movies, on the other hand, prohibit minors by force of law.)

Re:The future?

[NanoGator]

"I find any kind of game which involves flaunting a disrespect for the law somewhat disturbing. On the other hand, a lot of laws don't deserve our respect and a lot of cops shouldn't be issued the badge."

I have played Vice City and GTA3 to death. I can honestly tell you without hesitation that in all the times I 'killed' cops in either of those games, I never connected them to police officers in real life. I can't speak for the rest of the world, but I thought you'd appreciate knowing that killing cops in that game does not promote any sort of anti-officer feelings in me. Now, if they'd make a Linux zealot model to go walking around throuhg the game...