When Will They Learn? Yet Another Video Game Law Declared Unconstitutional
from the try,-try-again dept
Some politicians, it seems, will never learn. Despite being court after court after court after court striking down each state law that would ban the sale of video games to minors, the various states have to keep trying... only to have the laws thrown out in court again. Following a temporary injunction from late last year that stopped the law from going into effect, the court has now granted a permanent injunction against the law, noting that the evidence presented by the state in support of the law was unconvincing. It tried to use some of the various studies trying to show a link between video games and violence, but the judge recognized all the typical problems with such studies, and gave some good quotes in response: "it could just as easily be said that the interactive element in video games acts as an outlet for minors to vent their violent or aggressive behavior, thereby diminishing the chance they would actually perform such acts in reality....Not only does the Act not materially advance the state's stated interest, but it appears to discriminate against a disfavored 'newcomer' in the world of entertainment media. Thus, 'singling out' the videogame industry does not advance the state's alleged goal." Why do we get the feeling this won't be the last such lawsuit or law we'll be hearing about?Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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They will never learn
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Who needs to learn what?
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Re: Who needs to learn what?
Both are cases where the industry has agreed to do this *voluntarily* themselves. In neither case is the government involved.
The constitution is pretty clear that the gov't cannot restrict free speech...
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Re: Who needs to learn what?
You are misinformed. Selling a CD with an "Explicit Lyrics" label on it or letting a 13 year old into a rated R movie is not against the law. Games already have a voluntary rating system just like movies and music.
The problem here is that the older generation that's making these laws hasn't figured out that games aren't just for kids anymore. Because they are so out of touch with modern culture, they don't seem to understand what is happening to the game-playing demographic.
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violence in gaming vs IRL
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video games
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Re: video games
This is the reasons why some kids shouldn't get their hands on violent games. Whatever happened to good ol' spanking to learn some respect?
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Aren't video games just babysitters?
child: Dad will you play ball with me?
dad: Leave me alone, I'm watching Jerry Springer. Go play a video game.
child: (mumbles under breath) Loser!
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Eat my +7 staff!
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The goverment must die
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Knock Knock
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YO!
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ROAR! ARRR!
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WHUT UP CRAKA!
I beat off with pigs blood while playing tetris on CD-i.
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HEY
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Video games are our friends
I play video games alot. I love the fact that I can do almost anything in them. Video games are like books but are interactive and make your own story.
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Hey there...
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Hey there...
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Re: video games
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Re: Re: video games
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Gaming didn't cause those posts...
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Good article, but
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stfuartfm
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Video games are a learning console.
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Re: violence in gaming vs IRL
You must be 18 to buy a rifle, and 21 to buy a pistol.
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Re: Who needs to learn what?
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Re: Aren't video games just babysitters?
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Forget video games...
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Re: They will never learn
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Re: Re: Who needs to learn what?
Mike, you are absolutely wrong, at least about the music censorship. The music ratings systems were a direct result of the congressional hearings held on music lyrics in the 1980's. Remember when groups like Twisted Sister and Ice T had to get up before congress and explain their lyrics to everyone? If memory serves Al Gores wife was the major champion of this one. Sure, in the end the music industry "voluntairly" put ratings on the msuic, but it was to avert the federal government coming up with it's own standards.
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Re: Re: Who needs to learn what?
Actually in many states (maybe all of them?) it is illegal to let a 13 year-old into an R rated movie and the theater can be fined or even shut-down if it happens habitually.
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Re: Who needs to learn what?
I would think that gun's rights advocates would be all over this, remember videogames don't kill people, people kill people.
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Re: Re: Who needs to learn what?
...tell that to the kid in china who overdosed on WoW a few months back.... and died.
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Re: Re: Re: Who needs to learn what?
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Re: They will never learn
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Re: Re: Re: ........
That's not entirely true either, a parent or guardian can escort someone under the age of 18 into an R rated movie at the theater. NC-17 is another issue, but how often do NC-17 movies make it to the big screen (very rare)...
I agree with the thought, but have you considered that in a homeschool environment you CAN teach the important things like parenting and finances. If you look at the statistics, homeschooled children have an 80% higher full scholarship rate to colleges than public school students. Why? First there is a one-on-one atmosphere that promotes faster learning (instead of repeating the stuff several times for the two or three kids in the back of the class). Then you have self-paced learning to boot, meaning if a kid obviously understands a subject well s/he will go through it in less time that a public school is required to repeat it.
I think we have had enough examples of that recently to really sound the alarm. 'What's that, you want private property? Well, this company is willing to pay higher taxes on the land so we are going to take it from you.'
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god knows what
BUT, that is completly beside the point
Ok, so about video games ...
Sure, if only the average american parent would pay more attention to their children, all would be dandy, but thats not the case. As a result, the government Has to step in to make up for lost ground. Either create local "better-parenting" seminars for new and old mothers alike, which is a more long term plan methinks, Or teach children that the negative behavior shown in video games is well, negative, which could be inserted into any health class.
O'course, you could always ban exessively violent video games to minors (btw, minors as in 18yr olds? thats a bit harsh .. 16 yr olds are pretty smart kids too), but ... no.
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It will never work
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yup
so when a dumbass politician does something stupid like this, hews forced to go there..and maybe be half-a dumbass ^_^
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