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NY Governor to Target Violent Video Games

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the answer-to-all-the-worlds-evil-obviously dept.

NoMoreGuns writes to tell us that Governor Eliot Spitzer is planning to target violent movies and video games in a new bill. "Spitzer said he wants to restrict access to these videos and games by children, similar to motion picture regulations which prohibit youths under 17 from being admitted to R-rated movies without a parent or adult guardian. Under Spitzer's proposal, retailers who sell violent or degrading videos or video games to children contrary to the rating would be sanctioned."

7 of 306 comments (clear)

  1. Election time already? by TomRC · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Back to focusing on trivial things, while important problems go un-addressed.

    1. Re:Election time already? by Convector · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I might add that this was before the gunman's NAME had even been established, and there was no way to know if he had ever played a videogame of any type.

  2. Bad headline! by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Unless I'm really misreading this, he isn't targeting the violent games at all. What he's targeting is the sale of violent games to minors, in the manner of R-rated movies.

    I expect that sort of misleading headline from the mainstream press, but Slashdot should really have fixed it.

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    1. Re:Bad headline! by sqlrob · · Score: 4, Insightful

      *NOT* in the manner of movies. That's the problem.

      Movies do not have this regulation. All media or none.

    2. Re:Bad headline! by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 5, Insightful

      There are legal restrictions preventing sale of porn to minors, but no legal restrictions for violence. If your blockbuster won't let twelve year olds rent "Death-Death-Death-And-Blood 7" it is due to store (or corporate) policy, not due to regulation.


      It's a matter of local and state laws, not federal laws. There are no federal laws banning the sale of any movies to minors, AFAIK. However, most states have laws regarding the sale of pornography or movies with strong sexual content. Surprisingly, most states do NOT have laws concerning violence.

      So what we as a society are saying is that it's okay for kids to see people shooting, stabbing, kick boxing, or whatever else to each other in a violent rage, but HEAVEN FORBID if any minors see NAKED PEOPLE or, worse, two people engaged in a perfectly normal act that is part of our biological survival process as a species. Hmmm, I wonder which would inhibit the development of a child more...?
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  3. I don't see the problem with this law by SilentChris · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Maybe I'm missing the big picture, but what's the problem with preventing minors from buying games specifically market for adults? I know legally there's been no teeth in it up until now (and parents should really be watching out for their kids) but what's the objection to this? The only group I would think could possibly object is minors.

    1. Re:I don't see the problem with this law by Khaed · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'm an adult, and I have a problem with it.

      If the law just targets video games, then that is unfair. Other than pornography, there are no laws about content being sold to minors.

      Video games, like movies, are voluntarily rated. There is no law to enforce the movie ratings, as far as I am aware, and so there shouldn't be one for video games.

      Another poster here said, "All media, or none." And I agree.