Games Are Porn in Utah

GameDailyBiz reports that there is new anti-videogame legislation brewing in both Iowa and Utah. Utah's law is more poorly thought out than most, essentially classifying violent games as porn. From the article: "Meanwhile in Utah, State Rep. David Hogue (R-Riverton) is taking a different approach. Hogue's HB 0257 would seek to amend an existing Utah statute by adding an 'inappropriate violence' clause--such as violence exhibited in some of today's popular video games. Under the existing Utah statute the distribution or showing of pornography and explicit nudity to minors is a felony. Hogue is certainly not the first politician to compare violent video games to pornography. CA Assemblyman Leland Yee and countless others have put playing violent games in the same category as porn or smoking cigarettes."

Comments

Let's kill the children and eat them.

[MikeFM]

This post is filithy and should be counted as porn too I think.

Re:Let's kill the children and eat them.

[Kelson]

Well, that certainly sounds like a Modest Proposal.

Re:Why not add a "material harmful for minors"?

[mctk]

You forgot religious indoctrination.

Except.

[Eightyford]

Polygamy 3.0, sold a lot in Utah.

How do the children bathe?

[Anonymous Coward]

Under the existing Utah statute the distribution or showing of pornography and explicit nudity to minors is a felony.

So kids bathe blindfolded there? Oh wait, they elected Orrin Hatch... that explains everything.

Re:Why not add a "material harmful for minors"?

[dancpsu]

There should be some kind of way of corralling the "think of the children" laws. Maybe it could just be a list of contraband that forces the seller to check with the parent of someone below the age of X. Of course, it could be a long list. Everything from soft drinks to hard liquor could make the list in some areas.

The final crazy form of the law would be individual lists per kid of every family, where parents would tag their kids with some kind of embedded RFID that contains a list of everything their parents don't want them exposed to. Don't have the tag? You can only get water and whole wheat organic crackers.

Bizarrely, I see a silver lining.

[abb3w]

For years I've been bothered that the US considers sex more obscene than violence. This is a step to restoring parity.

On the other hand, I'd rather parity be restored by increasing open-mindedness about sex... but I'll take what I can get.

Re:tsk, tsk

[Kelson]

Yeah. What video games need is more appropriate violence.

You forgot Coffee...

[IAAP]

'nuff said.

/. in Utah should be in favor of this law

[xaoslaad]

They can finally claim to have had sex after interacting with another player in a round of violent online gaming after this law is passed.

Re:tsk, tsk

[cbiltcliffe]

What video games need is more appropriate violence.

You mean like a game where you beat the shit out of your state senator?

Re:tsk, tsk

[diablomonic]

we could call it DOOM 4 (in little writing "your senator")

Re:Beat the poop?

[drDugan]

here's 3 words I would have never guessed I'd see together tonight:

"bowel retraining program"

I'll put that right next to

"Hey Joe, would you toss me that piano?"