Topic: The US Supreme Court rules Video Games are protected by the 1st Amendment.

[cecil-kain]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_supreme_court_violent_video_games

By JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press – 4 mins ago

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court says California cannot ban the rental or sale of violent video games to children.

The high court agreed Monday with a federal court's decision to throw out California's ban on the sale or rental of violent video games to minors. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Sacramento said the law violated minors' rights under the First and Fourteenth amendments.

The law would have prohibited the sale or rental of violent games to anyone under 18. Retailers who violated the act would have been fined up to $1,000 for each infraction.

The court on a 7-2 vote said the law was unconstitutional.

More than 46 million American households have at least one video-game system, with the industry bringing in at least $18 billion in 2010.

[Profbeanburrito]

I'm glad theyre saying video games are protected under the first amendment, so that it can't hinder what developers can do with their games. But I am all in favor of stronger control on sales of games to minors. I disagree that video games cause murder or any of that other bullshit, but I think parents should be more responsible and take part or at least know what their children are playing and tighter control on sales will, hopefully, help with that. I dont think that an 8 year old should be able to go into Gamestop and pick up grand theft auto with out a parent being present. I really don't see why that is such an issue to people.

[Kale]

^Same.



Why isn't porn protected under the same rules?

[X]

Agree. Parents and retailers need to take more responsibility.

[cecil-kain]

I'm glad theyre saying video games are protected under the first amendment, so that it can't hinder what developers can do with their games. But I am all in favor of stronger control on sales of games to minors. I disagree that video games cause murder or any of that other bullshit, but I think parents should be more responsible and take part or at least know what their children are playing and tighter control on sales will, hopefully, help with that. I dont think that an 8 year old should be able to go into Gamestop and pick up grand theft auto with out a parent being present. I really don't see why that is such an issue to people.

8 year olds don't hold jobs, so if they buy a M rated game, they're doing it on some adult's dime --presumably the parent.  Any parent who doesn't pay attention shouldn't be surprised when that 8 year old brings home Mortal Kombat, Grand Theft Auto, Resident Evil, or whatever else offends their sensibilities.  As for minors that are old enough to hold jobs and make their own money --either let them decide for themselves what to play, or keep them out of the job market until they are "mature" enough to handle sex and violence.

[Slayer]

Why isn't porn protected under the same rules?

Because in much porn, the medium is only used to show video recordings of sex. The argument is that those recordings are obscenities and not representations of reality from the mind of an artist. One could argue that role-play could be art, I suppose...but this could go on for ages.

[Kale]

Yea, it's like a double standard. Not that I really care anyway. About this particular situation at least.