GA Proposes Restricting Game Sales to Minors

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."

Comments

Glad I'm 20

[jlefeld]

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.

OT: "restrict to" is weird.

[artifex2004]

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.

Anecdocal evidence

[Txiasaeia]

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 and slowly put pressure on their neck until it snaps. I was getting nauseous after five minutes of this.

Now, I'd be the first person to say that video games don't screw you up, but after hearing my LB talk about this for what seems like an eternity, I'm not so sure anymore. Letting an eleven-year old kid play this is completely screwed up. I know that there's not much they could do if his mom bought it and gave it to the kid, but there's gotta be something that the gov't can do so that kids with parents who obviously don't care about their children won't spend entire days focusing on the best method to break somebody's neck, or the best technique for putting as many swords into somebody else's body (with the resulting blood spurt).

Re:Can't buy videogames...

[FCAdcock]

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 national office for handgun sales checks and regestration.

There are no age restrictions on rifles or shotguns because rifles and shotguns are hunting weapons. Pistols are most often not hunting weapons. (although there are handguns made specificaly for hunting) It is illegal to hand a pistol to nayone under 18 for any reason, and children under 21 may only handle handguns with adult supervision under hunting or target shooting circumstances.

Why do you think rifles and shotguns are so bad? Of all of the shootings last year only a handful were from legally purchased firearms, and only a smaller fraction were from either rifles or shotguns. You want to know how many of those were from legally purchased rifles or shotguns? Try just a fraction of a handful... More people were stabbed. Wanna ban steak knives as well?