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Supreme Court To Rule On State Video Game Regulation

Posted by Soulskill on from the incrementing-scalia's-frag-count dept.

DJRumpy sends in this quote from an AP report:"The Supreme Court will decide whether free speech rights are more important than helping parents keep violent material away from children. The justices agreed Monday to consider reinstating California's ban on the sale or rental of violent video games to minors, a law the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco threw out last year on grounds that it violated minors' constitutional rights. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who signed the law in 2005, said he was pleased the high court would review the appeals court decision. He said, 'We have a responsibility to our kids and our communities to protect against the effects of games that depict ultra-violent actions, just as we already do with movies.'" SCOTUSblog has a more thorough legal description of the case.

10 of 278 comments (clear)

  1. No, WE do not have a responsibility by 0racle · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Parents have a responsibility to be parents and raise their children as they see fit. I do not.

    --
    "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
    1. Re:No, WE do not have a responsibility by Mr.+Freeman · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "you certainly can't know or prevent them from buying an R-rated game or seeing an R-rated movie. Hence, the retailer should probably enforce it."

      ABSOLUTELY NOT! It is not the job of retailers to prevent kids from getting into trouble. Being a good parent does NOT mean knowing where your kids are 100% of the time. Being a good parent means teaching your kids how to handle the responsibility of being able to go buy that video game without permission.

      We live in a society now where everyone thinks kids should be monitored 100% of the time and yet people still complain about helicopter parents. MAKE UP YOUR FUCKING MINDS, PEOPLE! Kids should have some degree of freedom. Parenting is making sure your kids know how to handle that freedom. The ultimate purpose is that they know how to handle the freedom they receive when they turn 18.

      --
      -1 disagree is not a modifier for a reason. -1 troll, flaimbait, redundant, overrated are NOT acceptable substitutes.
  2. "We" don't have a responsibility ... by SlappyMcInty · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The kids' parents have the responsibility. Get your big government nose out of my business.

    1. Re:"We" don't have a responsibility ... by CorporateSuit · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The kids' parents have the responsibility. Get your big government nose out of my business.

      That's the point of the bill. To make sure that the purchase is parentally responsible. This bill isn't in YOUR business unless you're in the business of selling R-rated materials to minors without parental consent.

      --
      I am the richest astronaut ever to win the superbowl.
    2. Re:"We" don't have a responsibility ... by Theaetetus · · Score: 4, Informative

      No, that's not the point of the bill. The point of the bill is that the Gov't knows better than the parent what is or is not appropriate for their child.

      No, it doesn't. The bill doesn't prevent a parent from buying any game they want for their child. It merely prevents a store from selling directly to the child without parental permission. You want your 10 year old to play GTA, then go buy a copy for them.

  3. Industry self-regulates by Enderandrew · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The video game industry puts ratings right on the cover. I don't want the goverment to tell me how to raise my kids.

    We let the movie and music industries self-regulate. Why should video games be any different?

    --
    http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
    1. Re:Industry self-regulates by Enderandrew · · Score: 4, Informative

      The charge for video game censorship has been led by Democrats in California and New York. Hillary Clinton has considered it one of her personal crusades.

      I won't begin to suggest all Democrats are evil. I'm a middle of the road guy. But suggesting that this is a Republican issue just isn't factually correct.

      --
      http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
    2. Re:Industry self-regulates by Hognoxious · · Score: 5, Informative

      I don't want the goverment to tell me how to raise my kids.

      They aren't, they're telling your kids how [not] to raise themselves. There's nothing to stop you buying restricted games for them, if you want.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  4. Wrong. by Psmylie · · Score: 4, Interesting

    (Arnold Schwarzenegger) said, 'We have a responsibility to our kids and our communities to protect against the effects of games that depict ultra-violent actions, just as we already do with movies.'"
      WRONG. WE don't have a responsibility, PARENTS have a responsibility. WE (as in "we the people") have a responsibility to make sure the Constitution doesn't get corrupted by well-intentioned feel-good attempts to legislate morality. Get it straight, ya big goof.

    --

    psmylie's dictionary: Godzillion (noun) Any number large enough to destroy Tokyo

  5. Re:Coming from the Terminator by hoggoth · · Score: 4, Funny

    Schwarzenegger: "Da veedo games are bad. Dey are too violent and muzt be kept away from de impressionable youth".
    Parent: "If video games are bad, then what is good Mr. Schwarzenegger?"
    Schwarzenegger: "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women."

    --
    - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)