Slashdot Mirror
Thompson Sues ESRB, Best Buy
Well known anti-gaming lawyer Jack Thompson is following up on his clever sting operations against Best Buy. He's filed suit against the consumer electronics retailer for allegedly selling M-rated games to underage gamers. He has also included the ESRB in that suit. GamePolitics reports: "As we reported, the claim against Best Buy suit looks as if it will be going nowhere. Thompson has also apparently named the ESRB in the suit. That looks like a non-starter as well. His explanation: 'The ESRB has been sued by Thompson because it is well known that it a) is owned and operated by the video game industry, b) does not even play the games it rates to conclusion, c) routinely mislabels games as to age appropriateness, per testimony before the U.S. Congress, and is engaged in representations to American parents that the age label are accurate and are keeping "Mature" games out of the hands of kids.'"
And neither is Jack Thompson.
Doesn't this guy have a job that requires his attention instead of bringing lawsuits against every retailer, person, and organization that he dislikes? A job like, I don't know, actually practicing law in cases that he has a shot of winning?
"It's a reverse vampire...they....they crave the sun!"
Ok so the ESRB is at fault because it makes faulty ratings, and WorstBuy is at fault because they do not enforce the aforementioned faulty ratings? Which is it, do they need to be enforced or are they invalid?
"an email from Attorney Jack Thompson stating that his 15-year-old son purchased the Mature-rated game BioShock from a local Best Buy."
Jack's son: if you're reading this, don't worry. We know your dad forced you to do it, and you're not as much of a tool as he makes you out to be. In another three years you can move out, and we'll all pretend this crap never happened.
Anyone can sue anyone, but that doesn't mean they'll win.
There is no law on the books that states an M-rated game cannot be sold to a minor, in fact, everytime this legislation is attempted it is shot down as unconstititional.
-Bill
I used to hate Jack Thompson, but the more I read about him, the more I look forward to hearing what his latest stunt will be. He's become a larger than life comic book villain who will do anything, no matter how outrageous, to get himself publicity or to take down a force much bigger than he could ever hope to stop. Watching his latest absurd attempt to make everyone look at him and trying to figure out what he'll do next has become more entertaining than many of the games I've played. I've gone long past considering him any kind of threat and now often wonder if he is for real or can reasonably believe that any of his ideas are going to work. He's more and more like an incompetent Mr. Mxyzptlk, but more fun to watch.
At what point will/did Thompson's lawsuits change from bad press, to annoyance, and finally to free publicity? For everyone interested in meta-information about video games, it probably has never been a question for more than five minutes, but what about the really critical market of casual gamers, parents, etc. pp. ?
The grass is always greener on the other side of the light cone.
I'll say this for him, he's consistent
Unfortunately, the rules of civil procedure have really tilted things so that you need to sue everybody who could possibly at fault at first and then sort out who's really at fault by the time it comes to trial. Otherwise, you run the risk of the statute of limitations running out in the time it took you to find out that it's really the other guy's fault.
If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").
I envision a game called Ambulance chaser. Your whole job is to catch the ambulance so you can hand them court papers. Extra points for every illegal move you make in the proccess of catching said ambulances. Then afterwards you get to choose your idiotic statement towards the arguement that we need to sue the ambulance guys because the may have saved my life, but in the proccess they broke my foot.
Surely he knows he's not likely to be legally effective; the only reason he keeps doing shit like this is to get attention, both for his ego and his "vidjamagames are evil" meme.
So: stopgivinghimattention
If he actually has a chance to pass a stupid law or get a stupid ruling, then we can pay attention. The US, however, has this thingy called a "Constitution" that makes stupid laws kind of hard to pass. So this is just a case of some crazy jerkoff being a crazy jerkoff. Nothing to see here, please move along.
Read the headline and think it was referring to Fred Thompson, the lawyer-turned-senator-turned-actor-turned-presidential-candidate?
Not trying to support him or anything, I just saw the name, thought lawyer... Maybe I'm just too far out of the loop on this Jack Thompson guy.
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
..he does have a point regarding the ESRB. Some ratings on games are absolutely crazy, one way or the other. The T rating is the game equivalent of PG-13 not only in generality but in how much it varies. Just as you'll often see a shooter movie like The Bourne Identity featuring quite a bit of violence alongside movies with a few vague sexual references in the PG-13 category, games that have very little objectionable content but not the squeeky-clean E are often rated T as there is no real buffer zone between E and T. A "E10+" rating exists but is relatively overlooked and is difficult to distinguish from a regular E title (most people don't even know it exists, and the earlier "K-A" rating was dumped a while back).
As a result, a T rating can cover everything from Digimon Rumble Arena 2 or Legend of Zelda to 007: Nightfire and Medal of Honor (which are significantly more violent). And don't even start about the completely subjective and useless content descriptors.
A lot of the ratings seem to be based on past games as well. Nintendo can snag a E rating on pretty much anything they make featuring Mario or with cute graphics even if the game involves Mario punching things in the face. Add in the fact that most gamers seem to think the only worthwhile games are rated M and you have a recipe for general confusion.
I hope Jack got the copy of Bioshock back before his kid was exposed to it. You know how impressionable teenagers are - a few hours of playing, and Jack Jr. might have been inspired to craft complex literary-political allegories that investigate the nature of humanity.
It encourages kids to violate the laws of physics!
One thing I am curious about is - how does this guy earn a living?
I mean, he keeps filing lawsuits, but a) not for specific damages for him, and b) he never wins. He definitely doesn't have a chance to actually practice law or anything...
Or is he just on a retainer for people who want games banned/people who don't want games banned and realise that having a nut like JT doing all the talking is doing their cause wonders?
Between the falling angel and the rising ape
-- To the Prat-cave!
(prat)
How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
I don't know who the fuck he thinks he's saving. His name is Jack Thompson, not Jack Bauer. This is a video game in an xbox, not a nuke in San Fran.
Never monkey with another monkey's monkey.
Maybe from a moral standing it's true. And I do agree with you. But from a legal standing there's no reason they shouldn't be sold to minors. That's the issue on trial, here. Well, will be if any court actually cares to hear what he has to say anymore.
Jack reminds me of that scene in the Simpsons movie where Rev. Lovejoy asks the church congregation who wants to speak, and Flanders raises his hand, garnering a great anguished sign from Lovejoy. Flanders is Jack Thompson, and Rev. Lovejoy is the court system.
Your ad here.
Didn't we tuck him in to bed and kiss him goodnight a while back?
Go back to bed, Jack, before you hurt yourself again.
So he pointed out how the Game Rating System works, what about the Movie Rating System? Anyone watch "This Film is Not Yet Rated"? It blatantly shows that the movie industry owns the rating system and foreign films are discriminated against compared to hollywood movies. Not to mention hollywood movies can get away with a lot more in their films.
So... wheres the lawsuit against the Movie Rating System Jack Thompson? Oh thats right, your a tool.
b) does not even play the games it rates to conclusion,
Thompson might be a crackpot, but this is really a valid criticism of the ESRB, if it's true. Can anybody speak to this point?
Comment of the year
That was Cobra Comander? I thought it was President Bush.
There's nothing clever about using a child to go in to a store and try to buy something, tobacco narcs have been using this technique for over a decade.
Also, I find it pretty disgusting that Thompson is using his own children to further his political agenda. Atleast tobacco narcs have the decency to pay their child "agents" and explain to them what they are doing. I wonder if Jack gave his son the choice or if he just forced him to do his bidding.
When will someone finally put this guy in a straitjacket and thrown him in a rubber room? He's just plain wacko.
Despite what EULAs say, most software is sold, not licensed.
I'm not going to tell you people that he isn't an asshole. Nor am I going to tell you that he doesn't pray on the weak minded and bend the laws to serve his disturbed needs. All i'm going to do is play devils advocate and point out that he found a niche part of law practice that most people ignore. Gaming is in many eyes similar to the anti-christ and Jack is no fool about using that opinion. I'd be willing to bet the man has made millions without actually trying a single case that is going to actually benefit anyone. That's basically a lawyer's wet dream isn't it?
what it needs is a list.
Do people die?
Is there nudity
blah blah.
So A parent can look at a game and know what it contains. Where as with a rating system to area of gray is too broad.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on