Oklahoma 'Games As Porn' Bill Now Law

simoniker writes "Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry has signed into law the State-specific Bill HB30004. The bill redefines a list of items, such as hardcore pornography, deemed harmful to minors to include videogames which use 'inappropriate violence'. The new Oklahoma law is due to come into effect from November 1st. The story notes: 'Despite being one of the more draconian anti-games bills put before a State senate, HB30004 has faced limited opposition, with apparently little concern being given to the consistent problems other similar bills have faced from legal challenges.'"

Comments

Meh.

[Rob T Firefly]

I wonder if this is just another impress-the-voters measure passed to make the old white men in suits look good, which will get quietly struck down as unconstitutional when it ever actually comes into play in court.

Semantics

[quantum bit]

Interesting that by wording the bill that way, that means that they're recognizing a class of "appropriate violence". I wonder how that's defined...

"Limited opposition"

[Delusion_]

The limited opposition stems largely from the fact that there are no "hot spots" of game development anywhere in Oklahoma, and the fact that videogames aren't the point of a law like this. It's all about pandering to voters, and there are plenty of older voters who aren't exactly well-informed about videogame violence up for grabs in Oklahoma. This isn't about surviving a court challenge, which it probably won't. It's about "Protecting the Children" to seem more connected to the interests of average voters against the Evil Media Industry of the decadent east and west coasts than to the corporations which fund the legislators' campaigns, which clearly aren't the videogame companies.

Re:'inappropriate violence'

[gid13]

While I disagree with that kind of censorship of both news and videogames, I find the phrasing "we'd better keep them as far away from reality as possible" ironic, since escapism is kinda the point of video games.

Re:Parenting

[Eivind]

The suggested age is crap though. It's tailored to religious nutcases.

Show a naked breast -- instant 16. Chop the head of people -- 12, unless lots of blood gushes, in which case 16.

Blowjob ? 18 for sure ! Beating random people up with a baseball-bat and getting points for style ? 16.

Unless you're a religious nutcase completely locked up about sex, the rating-system is no substitute for making up your own damn opinion. But I guess that's too much work for some parents.

Good points in the 1up article.

[Irvu]

The recent 1up article on this issue makes some interesting points. Two of the key ones with respect to this are:

1. There are existing court rulings (U.S. Circuit Courts) asserting that violence is not the same as sex and is therefore cannot be used to classigy something as obscene. This runs counter to the "structure" of the law in question.
2. Forum posts carry little or no weight on this issue. Only real letters to the gov in question will do so. Those *dont'* have to come from local voters. Perhaps companies that won't want to do business in the state will want to as well.

Re:"Games As Porn" = FUD

[Dunbal]

when acquiring material that could be damaging to young minds.

      like religion, for example?

Re:"Games As Porn" = FUD

[jedidiah]

Unless your child has managed to get themselves emancipated and has moved out of the house, they are not going to be able to play any videogame if you don't want them to. You merely have to stop being self-centered for a minute and actually pay attention. You managed to survive the "completely helpless" and "toddler" stages and s/he did didn't starve or kill him/herself so obviously you've got the time.

        If the kid is subject to active adult supervision, this law is meaningless.

        It's really simple: watch what they watch, read what they read, play what they play, meet their friends and meet their friend's parents.

        All of that is considered SOP by many entire clans (nevermind atomic families).